Bethlehem Lutheran Church
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This podcast is made available from Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Saint Cloud, MN
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Sometimes communication gets so familiar that we either dismiss the words entirely or accept the idea so completely the words become out of touch with reality. Our focus text this week features “The Antitheses” where Jesus sets up common sayings of the time against their opposite as a way of explaining the Kingdom of God. The antithesis of each say…
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Jesus’ preaching in the synagogues has an important message that’s so obvious it’s easy to missPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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We have gotten really good a blocking out the things we don't want to hear. In the focus text for this week, Stephen is killed for speaking up against the powerful who were not caring for the poor & powerless as God intends. Jesus warned the disciples that speaking God’s truth to those in power would threaten their earthly life. When we have the co…
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Jesus’ epiphany reveals not only His love for mankind but also His authority as LordPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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Wants vs Needs. We want to give in to our cravings for junk food when we know we need healthy food to flourish. We want to be the center of attention when we know we need to listen to others to sustain healthy relationships. In our focus text this week Peter wants Jesus to be a powerful warrior king to overthrow the Roman occupation, Jesus knows wh…
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Christ’s blessing can give new life to a dead landPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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Valentine's Day is less than a month away! Our focus text this week explores how God's love is a model for our lives as we express love for one another in truth and action. Building off last week’s exploration of John 3:16-17, this week we see Jesus death on the cross was the ultimate expression of love based in truth and action!…
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Jesus incarnation, baptism, and crucifixion connects us to God at the deepest levelPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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John 3:16 is probably the most ‘famous’ Bible verse. While it is a great summary of the Christian Faith as a standalone verse it can be troublesome. Without the rest of the story, John 3:17, it can seem to focus on our belief & actions as the key to salvation. John 3:17 provides the reassurance that John 3:16 is about God’s love for the world; Jesu…
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Have you ever considered “Is Jesus safe?” Like Lucy asks of Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia? Our focus text for this week reveals that Jesus just like the allegorical lion, is in fact not safe but rather a threat. Jesus is a threat to those who hold onto power, he is a threat to people like Herod, and the religious leaders who saw how Jesus was a…
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Are you staying awake for Jesus to come this year?Por Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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In Christ, God fulfills His promises to Simeon and Anna, to you and me, and to all mankind.Por Rev. David M. Reimnitz
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Jesus in his incarnation proclaims a beautiful message of our salvationPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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In this message for the week of Christmas, Pastor Chad relates how the roads we travel in life aren't always the path we'd choose for ourselves. Sometimes there's an unplanned detour through a lost job, a divorce, a cancer diagnosis, or the death of a loved one. Mary & Joseph did not plan a road trip to Bethlehem, it was a detour caused by a govern…
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Jesus’ birth and its significance for us is proclaimed throughout Scripture by prophets, angels, and apostlesPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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Bethlehem Lutheran ChurchPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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It is not because we are smart enough to find Him or holy enough to deserve Him or clever enough to make Him want us. We didn’t decide to come to Christ. He came to us. He graced us. He chose us. He loves us. He forgives us. It Is Jesus who makes Christmas what it is and why it is.Por Rev. David M. Reimnitz
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As we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child, it is good to ponder the context of His coming. We know from where Christ will come: Bethlehem. But it's more important to know from where peace will come.Por Rev. David M. Reimnitz
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Time is a funny thing, sometimes it flies and at other times it drags. In today’s world we are so busy life becomes a blur as it passes us by. Sometimes we wish time would fly through bad parts of life to minimize the heartache. The story of our faith offers us a reminder that sometimes we need to slow down and take in the world around us and when …
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Bethlehem Lutheran ChurchPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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The Third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete (Rejoice) Sunday. We light the pink candle reminding us of the Joy the world experienced at the birth of Jesus even as we rejoice in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah.While the secular world seeks to mimic Christmas joy in the things of this world, our Heavenly Father gives us the reason to rejoi…
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Traditions and expectations fill our lives, especially at Christmas, some add value to our lives and others we need to let go. Letting go of the unrealistic expectations that drain us allows us to focus instead on the peace, hope, and joy of Advent and Christmas. Our Focus text this week, the birth and naming of John, is a reminder that trust & fai…
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The future of the little baby born in Bethlehem shows us our future as well, a future that adds true celebration to Christmas!Por Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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Advent is about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Season seeks to prepare us for His coming in glory on the Last Day. We do this by remembering the historical narrative of His 1st Coming as if we were there, and by receiving His coming today in Word and Sacrament as we recall and proclaim His first coming while we await His 2nd Coming on the…
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Waiting and preparing are big themes in Advent as we draw closer the arrival of Jesus at Christmas. So, are you prepared? Sermons on this week’s focus text this week often talk about how half the young women waiting for the Bridegroom were foolish for not being prepared for the long wait and run out of lamp oil. Pastor Chad invites us to look beyon…
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The Holy Spirit shows us our past to remind us where we really went wrong and what Christmas is really supposed to bePor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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We took Chad on a journey through some of the most Beloved Christmas Characters and Christmas Movies to ask ourselves where faith can be found in the midst of these stories. How are the Characters knowingly or unknowingly following in the ways of Jesus.Por bethlehemyouthministries1
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Advent is about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Season seeks to prepare us for His coming in glory on the Last Day. We do this by remembering the historical narrative of His 1st Coming as if we were there, and by receiving His coming today in Word and Sacrament as we recall and proclaim His first coming while we await His 2nd Coming on the…
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We begin the Season of Advent, the season of waiting, with the story of the Annunciation. Mary’s life is turned upside down with the announcement that the angel Gabriel brings her. The certainty she had in planning for her wedding to Joseph was gone. How could she be so willing to accept the news of becoming pregnant with the Son of God? Faith! Fai…
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We’re grateful to God on this Thanksgiving Day not just because we’re bound to be thankful in view of all He has done for us, but because the Lord Jesus Himself makes us grateful through the message of His saving life and death. We are grateful for the Good News only through the Good News. Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches. Unless we abide…
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On the last Sunday on the Church calendar, we end on a high note focusing on the center of the Christian calendar and the life of all Christians - Jesus Christ.Por Rev. David M. Reimnitz
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Pastor Chad wants to be satisfied and content in life, he wants to be generous in supporting his neighbors, but . . . too often a scarcity mindset takes over. When that happens he moves into conditional (If-Then) thinking: IF I get a raise, THEN I will be content with my income and give more to charity; IF I could retire, THEN I would have time to …
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God has not forgotten us or His promises to usPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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Pastor Stephanie invites us to consider the big impact a small gift can make when offered out of love and compassion. A meager offering of 5 loaves and 2 fish rippled out across the crowd of 5,000. A simple gesture of caring, like returning a cherished blankie to a frazzled mom and fussy infant, can make a world of difference in the lives of our ne…
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This episode is about how people read and understand the bible.Por bethlehemyouthministries1
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There is a source of confidence in the face of any self-doubt or challenge in life. Our text talks about those who are confident as they eagerly wait for the Return of Christ on the Last Day.Our source of ultimate confidence is rooted in the person (who He is) and work (what He has done) of Jesus Christ.We can confidently live our lives in eager ex…
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Pastor Chad invites us to consider the way our faith lives can flourish if we move from understanding of faith (church, religion, spirituality) as an obligation to something that is a lived out encounter of God’s love for us and our neighbor.Por Pastor Chad Peterson
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God sets apart His people and dedicates them for service to Him as they receive His gifts with thanksgiving and share them with the those still outsidePor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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Pastor Stephanie shares a message for All Saints Day on finding comfort in grief as Jesus promised in the Beatitudes.Por Pastor Stephanie Christoffels
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For Martin Luther, grace was both a detailed doctrine as well as the person Jesus Christ.Por Rev. David M. Reimnitz
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The Blind Beggar Bartimaeus puts a bow on several themes that have been developing through the central section of Mark’s GospelPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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Pastor Chad hates having to say “I don’t know what to do” But sometimes you can’t escape it, no matter how much you prepare or research or train! That is especially true when facing the "hard things" in life, where we don't know the outcome of our decisions or actions. The Good News in the Story of Esther, is that it’s okay not to know the outcome …
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Salvation is impossible for us to accomplish ourselves, but nothing is impossible for GodPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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The question posed by the rich young man is one that haunts many of us, one that has to do with our ultimate concern for eternal life. We too, seek Jesus for our answer, for we know He has come to seek and to save the lost. And He has found us! But our sinful human nature still continues to ask the same question, “What must I do to be saved?”Jesus'…
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Pastor Chad shares a message exploring the Calling of Moses. God called a reluctant Moses, who was happy being a shepherd, to be God’s messenger in Egypt even though he wasn’t an eloquent speaker or recognized as a powerful leader. Moses keeps insisting he is not the right person for the job even suggesting God "send someone else" but God has a rol…
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Jesus is less concerned with what is lawful and more focused on what is love, as He Himself shows that love to usPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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Sometimes perfectionism gets in the way doing the right thing. Perfectionism demands we act & speak in line with society’s expectations but for change to happen sometimes we need to speak the truth to those in power. Society expected the Syrophoenician Woman to know her place and not interact with Jesus instead she puts perfectionism aside to remin…
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Jesus calls us to care about the small things, just as He doesPor Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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There are so many words in use today. Unfortunately, sometimes we can’t trust words because the way they are being used doesn’t reflect reality. And when we can't trust words we tend not to listen. This week Pastor Chad invites us to listen to the story of Jesus visiting the home of Martha & Mary a little differently. With so many words to choose f…
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Today’s Gospel comes from a transitional portion of Mark’s narrative. The transition is seen in the secrecy of Jesus’ movements through Galilee (9:30); no longer will Jesus heal the sick there. In fact, only one more miracle is recorded before the triumphal entry: the healing of blind Bartimaeus (10:46-52).Our text includes the second of three Pass…
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