Bethesda Christian Church Sermon Of The Week

When our hands or feet experience repetitive hurts, they begin to form a protective barrier. Our bodies will form a natural layer of defense to protect against these pains, they’re called calluses. Calluses on the hands are good, where a hard layer of protection is helpful. Yet not all calluses are good. Jesus pointed out an area where hardness was a detriment: the heart. Jesus said those with a calloused heart miss out on kingdom of God. Don’t let life’s recurring hurts cause a defensive layer to develop on your hear. Listen in to this Life App to discover and apply the remedy for eliminating a hardened heart and preventing future heart calluses from forming.

Guest Speaker: Dr. Analee Dunn

When our digital devices have reached their storage capacity, we can add another memory module with ready to use gigabytes. Unfortunately we can’t do the same thing with our own memories. We humans are prone to forget, and since we can’t add to our storage capacity, God instituted memory helpers. Special days, seasons, and meals, visual reminders, writing, even signs like the rainbow, all to spark a memory and remember things of the Lord. So, it comes as no surprise that Jesus instituted a way that He would be remembered. We call it communion, or the Lord’s supper. Jesus said, “do this in remembrance of me.” Today’s Life App delves into how we can apply Jesus’ words every day, and never forget all He has done.

On the packaging of most foods we purchase there is a printed section with this heading: Nutrition Facts. The table of facts lists things like calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, total carbohydrates and more. The information is listed so that informed, health-conscious decisions can be made. Unfortunately, there is no such system to help us when we make spiritual decisions in a time when there is no dearth of spiritual junk food. Today’s Life App focuses on the importance of being spiritually health conscious and what to avoid when feeding the soul.

The invention of the Internet has ushered in the era of the influencer. Yet, long before there was anything called social media, there were influencers. Jesus warned his followers about the influencers of His time, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Jesus instructed His followers to be careful, for a little bit of their influence could be corrosive. Jesus went on to tell his disciples to “be on guard.” His advice is relevant today, in a culture where influencers abound. Today’s Life App, Be On Guard, considers both negative influences for which we should carefully be on guard against, and positive influence to advance the cause of Christ.

Guest Speaker: Pastor Terry Allen from Church on Fire Batesville

The table of Jesus is the great equalizer. The sinner deserves it as much as the self righteous. Jesus is writing what seems like new rules, yet is reflecting the heart of God from the beginning. He desires a changed heart more so than an obedient law keeper.

At the entrance to Heaven awaits Jesus. When the time comes for you to stand before Him, will He say, “Come in!” or “Go away, I don’t know you.”? Sadly, to many who claim to be true followers of Jesus, when their time comes, He will say, “Go away.” They appeared to be true followers, but they were fakes. Today’s Life App considers the greatest question all must answer: Will you enter heaven? It is only the true followers of Christ to whom He will open the gate. Learn the difference between the fake follower and true follower then apply it every day of your life.

Who are you hearing from? There is a biblical word for the one who brings the Word of God to His people, and that word is prophet. Prophetic ministry has a place in the church, but every generation deals with false prophets. Both the Old and New Testaments give many warnings to beware of false prophets. False prophets were in the generations before Jesus, they were in the generation of Jesus, and they are prominent in this generation. Jesus warned against them, describing them as appearing like sheep but inwardly ferocious wolves. Today’s Life App directly addresses the warning given by Jesus to watch for false prophets and gives insight into how to discern the true from the false.

Two destinies. Two options. That’s it. Jesus made the point more than once in his sermon on the mount. He contrasted heaven and hell, light and darkness, life and death. Two destines. That's it. As he brought his sermon to a close he hammered the point again using images familiar to his first century audience: gates. The gate of city, large and expansive, and the gate of a home, small and narrow. Many choose the large, open way, that of the broad gate. Few choose the narrow way beyond the small gate. Each gate represents a destiny, one is death and the other life. Which have you chosen as your destiny? Today’s Life App addresses the way of life and how to stay on its path.

When it comes to your actions toward others, are you motivated by how you want to be treated? It sounds easy, but often it is not the case. More often our response to others is driven by expectations of their actions toward us. Jesus taught a wholly different approach which has been called “The Golden Rule” and it goes like this: “in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Keep this one, simple instruction of Jesus, and you keep all of the Law. Can it be done? Find out by listening to today’s Life App: The Golden Rule.

Life on this earth can sometimes be a struggle! Living as a Jesus follower can add an additional challenge. But Jesus offers us access to an incredible and powerful Advocate in the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit, or "parakletos," comes alongside us and serves as a Helper, Counselor, Mediator, and Encourager! The Holy Spirit can operate in our lives on a daily basis, even minute-by-minute, equipping us with what we need for all the ups and downs, all we have to do is continually ask, seek, and knock.

Making judgments about other people was not forbidden by Jesus. He gives clear instruction to judge. Jesus said some uncomfortable things about some who might cross our paths. He warned about interacting with people He labeled dogs and pigs. Why was Jesus so harsh? Was he being racist? How do we determine who might be a dog or a pig? Some compelling questions addressed in today's Life App: Don’t Feed the Pigs.

Do not judge. Many Christians and non-Christians alike live by this ethic. The saying originated with Jesus, He said, “Do not judge.” From the Christian perspective if Jesus said it then we should all do as He said, right? After all, to judge another person’s decisions or behavior should be left to God alone. Is that what Jesus taught? Today’s Life App considers the words of Jesus which open Matthew chapter 7 beginning with: “Do not judge.” Listen in to learn what Jesus has to say about judging others.

Having more than we need is often our goal, and many worry they’ve missed their target and don’t have enough. Are you worried you will not have enough to meet your needs today, tomorrow and into the future? If you are fretting about the future, Jesus offers a way out of worry. Free yourself from anxious apprehension about the future and having enough by checking out today’s Life App, appropriately called: Don’t Worry.

In the world of modern medicine heart problems can be detected and diagnosed with noninvasive tests such as an electrocardiogram. That works well for the natural heart, but what about the spiritual heart which represents the inner person and the seat of their desires? The spiritual heart needs attention just like the natural heart, and in today’s passage of scripture Jesus directly points to the heart and what lies at its very core. What’s at the center of you heart? Is it light or dark, lasting or temporary? You’ll know when you apply the words of Jesus with a test on your heart, and you can learn how to do that by listening in on this Life App called: Storing Up.

In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus defied the religion of the day as He taught new ethics. He communicated with clarity and authority introducing concepts that had never been taught, some of it was challenging, perhaps even impossible to put into practice. As He moved into the heart of His sermon Jesus said, “Love your enemies.” That sounds hard to do. Yet He did not stop there. Jesus continued, “and be perfect.” That sounds impossible. Today’s Life App message will help you to not only apply what seems hard, but even the impossible sounding “be perfect.”

According to Jesus – it’s more important to give justice and mercy than receive it.

It has been said of politicians, they can’t resist making promises they will never keep. Its’ a cultural norm that is so common, we accept it and have come to expect it from our leaders: promises made will be promises broken. The attitude is pervasive, we’re all susceptible to it, and when a predicament comes our way we might rely on the politician’s tool: swear out a promise that we know we can’t keep. Jesus gave different advice, He said, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’” That’s good advice that is sometimes difficult to do. Tune in to today’s Life App for some practical insight which originates from Jesus, the one who made many promises but never failed to keep a single one.

Have you ever heard the saying, "You can't see the forest for the trees?" It means that you are missing what you should see and have in focus even though it is right there in front of your eyes. That's the way it was when Jesus entered Jerusalem for His final Passover. The people hailed Him as king, and did not see the real mission of Jesus. The truth about Jesus was hidden from the eyes of the people, and it moved Jesus to tears. Jesus wept over the people. Is Jesus weeping over us? Have the things in our lives robbed us of seeing the real mission of Jesus? Today's Life App will challenge you to see Jesus clearly.