Bethel CRC Lacombe

Today we will be celebrating Pentecost by reflecting on John 14:22-31, The Holy Spirit – The Teacher. Jesus leaves his disciples here on earth when he returns to heaven, so we can carry on the work he began. To equip them, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to teach them and remind them of everything he's said to them. But Jesus also mentions that the prince of this world is coming, Satan, but that he has no hold over Jesus; instead, it's an opportunity to show the world that he loves the Father and does what the Father has commanded him. The Holy Spirit is given to us so that the world can see that we also love the Father and follow his commands!

Today we will reflect on Psalm 78, The Church Makeover. Psalm 78 is written by a teacher or leader in Israel. The teacher calls the people to listen to the things of old, things our ancestors have told us. One of the important roles of the church is to keep retelling the story of God's relationship with his people. We retell the family story, reminding ourselves of God's covenantal faithfulness and our unfaithfulness, calling ourselves back to serving God, following his laws and decrees, and coming alongside our families as a church family to retell the family story in our homes by telling how God is the foundation of our own personal and family stories .

Today we will reflect on 2 Timothy 1:1-16 & 2 Timothy 3:14-17, The Extended Family Makeover. Paul sees Timothy as a beloved son and is reminded of the influence of Timothy's mother and grandmother in Timothy's faith life and growth. Our extended families have a large influence on the faith of our children because our children already know them and trust them. As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and we can also say, “It takes a church family to raise a child in the way of the Lord.” We will also be celebrating the Lord's Supper.

Today we will continue our series Faith Begins at Home by reflecting on Psalm 127, The Child's Foundation. Our children's foundation begins at home where they learn about obedience to the Lord and see how their parents live out their faith in God through obeying his decrees and commands. Our children get a Jesus-centered life when we make Jesus the foundation and God the builder and designer of our homes 

Today we will reflect on Deuteronomy 6, The Family Makeover. In Deuteronomy, we hear the law given in Leviticus and Exodus repeated a second time. Moses is teaching the people of Israel the importance of observing the laws God has given them in order to shape them into God's people. Moses is teaching the adults so that they can teach their children and grandchildren to love and serve the Lord. Twice Moses says, “Hear Israel,” and twice he mentions “so that,” to emphasize his teaching that this is important so the children, grandchildren, and the generations to come will know & fear the Lord and live long faithful lives in the Promised Land. 

Today we will reflect on Joshua 24, The Home Makeover. Joshua has led Israel into the Promised Land and the people are now at a time of peace and prosperity. These are the times of danger for the people, times when they are more tempted to drift away from God and embrace idols. Joshua challenges the people to fear the Lord and throw their idols away, but even if they don't Joshua declares, “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” This is the call to all of us, to declare, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord ".

Today we will reflect on Exodus 3, Called to Leadership. God calls to Moses to lead his people out of slavery in Egypt into freedom and the Promised Land. Moses is afraid and believes he doesn't have the skills or gifts needed to lead. Moses comes up with many excuses for not responding, but God counters his excuses by promising Moses “I will be with you.” The church still needs leaders today to lead the people into freedom from their sin, and into a deeper relationship of trust and faith in God. God promises to guide those he calls through his presence through the Holy Spirit.

Today we are celebrating Easter and the resurrection of Jesus! We will reflect on Matthew 28:1-7 and Revelation 1:9-18, The Best Last Word. From the darkness of Good Friday, we come together to celebrate the resurrection of the Light of the World coming in all his glory to banish sin and death. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the Living One who defeated sin and destroyed the curse of death, the one who holds the keys of death, and Hades, the one who has been given all authority in heaven and earth to reign forever!

Today is Good Friday. We will wrap up our Lenten series Words from the Cross by reflecting on Luke 23:44-49; John 13:1-2; John 19:28-35, Father, into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit. Satan believes he has won as the King of kings hangs on a cross dying. As Jesus draws close to death, in the darkest moments, he reveals his deep trust in his Father, committing himself into his Father's hands, a place of safety and belonging.

Today we will reflect on Matthew 27:45-49 and John 19:28-30, My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me? This is the darkest time for Jesus as he takes the sins of the world on himself, experiencing God's forsakenness on our behalf. The light of the world is hidden in darkness as the sun is darkened for 3 hours, reminding the people of the judgment of God and the Day of the Lord. Jesus cries out with words from Psalm 22; in this psalm which points so strongly to the cross, we hear a deep agonizing cry of lament that leads to a declaration of the Lord's victory. But the victory comes with unimaginable pain.

Today we will reflect on John 19:25-30, Here is Your Son, Here is Your Mother. Even while on the cross, Jesus is thinking of others. We've seen him ask for forgiveness for us, we've seen his grace to the criminal, and now we see his concern for his mother. As the oldest son, Jesus is responsible for the well-being of his mother. He places Mary in the care of the beloved disciple, John. Jesus has a larger view of family, seeing it as a covenant community that hears God's word and puts it into practice. Family is about being part of a community of people committed to following Jesus and becoming more Christ-like.

Today we will reflect on Luke 23:39-43; Romans 8:1-4; 33-39, Today You Will be With Me in Paradise. The thief on the cross asks Jesus to remember him. There is no fear quite like the fear of being forgotten. The beauty of Jesus is that he doesn't forget us and because he doesn't forget us, we have salvation, a place with Jesus, even after death. The Bible gives us different images of what Paradise is like, the one thing that connects them all is that this is where we find Jesus and that even after death we will be with Jesus. As Paul writes, “nothing can separate us from the love of Christ,” not even death !

Today we are beginning our Lenten series: Words from the Cross. We will reflect on Luke 23:24-25, 32-34, Father, Forgive Them. In many situations, forgiveness is one of the most difficult things to offer to someone. Jesus emphasizes the importance of forgiveness in his prayer when he teaches us to ask for forgiveness for our sins. He then goes on and teaches that when we forgive, then the Father will forgive us, but if we do not forgive, then the Father will not forgive us. This is a frightening thought in so many ways! On the cross, Jesus who never sinned and yet was tortured, falsely accused, and then sentenced to death an innocent man asks the Father, “Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Forgiveness takes a deep trust in God and a humility that takes hard work to cultivate in our hearts, souls, and minds!

Today we are once again celebrating the sacrament of baptism. We will be reflecting on Psalm 139:13-14, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. Psalm 139 reminds us of how precious each one of us is, and how God actively shapes and forms each one of us in the womb. The Psalmist confesses that all God's works are wonderful, God is the original creator who has created us in his own image! In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul picks up on this theme, when he writes that we are masterpieces of God. Next Sunday we will be blessed to place God's sign and seal on another child of God, a masterpiece of God!

Today we are celebrating the baptism of Pax, the newest member of our church family.  We will reflect on 1 Samuel 1:27-28 and 1 Samuel 2:1-10, God's Faithfulness. The birth of Samuel to Hannah and Elkanah came about after a long season of prayer to God. In Samuel's birth, we see God's faithfulness and presence, and how God can transform our grief into great joy. In Hannah's prayer, she rejoices in God and his faithfulness, looking back to God's long presence with his people and how he humbles the proud and exalts the humble. In Hannah's humility, she offers Samuel to the Lord, recognizing that our children are a gift given to us, but they are God's children first. We have a responsibility as a covenantal community to walk alongside the parents to help them raise Pax to know and love the Lord. 

Today we are celebrating GEMS Sunday. Our Bethel GEMS will be participating and leading us in our worship service on their theme for the year; Romans 12:1-2, Transformed. Paul calls us to not conform to the patterns of our world but to be transformed. We're transformed by the renewing of our mind so that we become new people, focused on Jesus and able to know what God's will is and to follow it .

Today we will wrap up our series on what we hunger for, by reflecting on John 6:35-51, A Hunger for the Gospel. Jesus gives us a picture of the gospel message in this short passage. Jesus gives life as the bread of life, he comes from heaven to claim his people and they will have eternal life. Jesus is both fully human and fully God and so he's the only one able to give us life and forgive us all our sins. Death and sin are part of the world, but Jesus is returning to restore and reconcile all creation to himself.

Today we will reflect on John 14:1-14, A Hunger for the Truth. Jesus tells his followers that he is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the way to God and the only way, the personification of truth, the center of life. But today many people ask the question that Pilate asks before condemning Jesus, “What is truth?” Many today believe we each create our own truth but is this even possible to live this way together as a community and society? Because our society has made the idea of truth a slippery concept, we will reflect on how Jesus and Scripture interpret truth.

Today we will be celebrating Cadet Sunday. This year the theme of the Calvinist Cadet Corps is Lead the Way based on 1 Timothy 4:12. We will be reading 1 Timothy 4:1-16 to give ourselves the reason Paul is writing to Timothy and encouraging him to be an example to the church and not be discouraged if some look down on him because of his young age. How we live is important because people are always watching us; building godly and biblical habits in our lives is important, as how we live shows what and who we believe in. As followers of Jesus, Jesus is the one who teaches and shows us how to live as his people.

Today we will reflect on Luke 7:36-50, A Hunger for Belonging. God created us in his image and God is a community within himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We're not meant to be alone; this is why many people who find themselves on the outside of society or a group hunger for a place to belong, a place where they are accepted. But because of sin, we tend to create groups and those who don't belong are kept on the outside. Jesus encounters a woman on the outside of society, a woman who is scorned and told that she doesn't belong. Yet she is the one who comes to Jesus and honours him, who recognizes that he will accept her, even in her situation. Jesus offers her forgiveness, and invites her through his forgiveness, a place to belong.

Today we will reflect on Psalm 25, A Hunger to be Seen. We live in an often harsh and critical world, and this can sometimes shape our relationship with God as harsh and critical. We all desire to be seen and valued or appreciated by others, especially those who are important to us. Loneliness has been determined to be the health crisis in our time, we desire to be loved. When we know we are seen and loved, we can better able to love others and ourselves. This helps us to find meaning and hope in our lives. God reveals himself as love, and his relationship with us reflects his love to us; in the coming and death of Jesus, in the giving of the Holy Spirit, and in the gift of a church family that acts out God's love.

Today we will reflect on Genesis 12:1-3, A Hunger for God's Blessings. When we read this important story of God's call to Abram to trust in him and leave his country, people, and family behind to follow him to a place that the Lord was going to show him. The Lord promises to bless Abram and make him a blessing to all nations. Life is not always easy and many of us will face times of struggle, times when it feels like everything is against us. In those times we may hunger to experience God's blessings. We know that Jesus promises never to abandon us, we know we have the presence of the Holy Spirit, and in these promises, we can learn to see how God can use these times as blessings, and then challenge us to be blessings.

We are in the time of Christmas this week. We will be continuing our Advent theme Pay Attention to the Dreams. Today we will be reflecting on Matthew 2, Dreams to Protect and Guide. This is a hard story of evil. Herod sees the infant Jesus as a threat and seeks to murder him. God works through dreams to Joseph and the Magi to protect Jesus; leading Joseph and his family to a place of safety. Evil is still in the world today, and Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures to guide us away from evil, to provide comfort and strength when evil enters our lives, and hope in knowing that evil will be overcome by Jesus.

Today we will reflect on Psalm 126 and Luke 2:1-20, Like Those Who Dreamed. Psalm 126 is a Psalm of Ascent and reminds us to the return home from the exile during the time of Nehemiah. But the restoration is not complete. This points us to the coming of Jesus and his second coming when our dreams of the restoration of all things will be made complete, but in his first coming already, hope shines forth as we wait for that glorious day

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent, we will reflect on Daniel 2:24-47, The Rock That Really Rolls. Daniel is an advisor to the king of Babylon; God has placed him in the center of power of the most powerful empire at the time. Daniel hears of dreams that have troubled King Nebuchadnezzar, and because his wisemen were unable to interpret them, all of them, including Daniel, are sentenced to death. Daniel steps in and asks for time to consult God, who shows him the future of Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom and the kingdoms following his.  He shows them that they will all crumble under the power and might of the kingdom of God. This brings the king to a place where he confesses that Daniel's God is the God of gods.

Today for the third Sunday of Lent, our children are leading us through their Christmas play. We will reflect on 1 Kings 3:4-15; Matthew 2:9-12; and Philippians 2:6-11, The Way of Wisdom. Solomon is king and God comes to him in a dream and tells him to ask him for anything he wants God to give him. Solomon chooses wisdom! Wisdom is found in recognizing who Jesus is and in imitating Jesus in his humility and obedience to God.

Today we will reflect on Genesis 37:1-11; Matthew 2:9-12; and Philippians 2:6-11, Every Knew Shall Bow. Joseph has 2 dreams where his brothers will bow down to him. This is not received well by his brothers or his father. Joseph ends up in a pit, then a prison, but is exalted to a throne in Egypt where he is able to save his family. Joseph foreshadows Jesus, and we will explore the lordship of Jesus.

Today we will reflect on Genesis 28:10-22, Stairway to Heaven. Jacob has left home after tricking his brother Esau out of the family blessing. Jacob knows that it is not safe for him to remain at home, so he heads out to family in Haran; the reason given is to find a proper wife who is not Canaanite. While on his way, Jacob rests for a night and has a dream of a stairway resting on the earth, with God at its head and angels traveling up and down. The distance between heaven and earth is not as great as we think.

Today we welcome Pastor Gary Bomhof to lead us in worship. We will focus our reflection on Daniel 1, Food and Wine From the King's Table. Daniel and his friends, as an act of defiance and as a commitment to the God of their fathers, refused the "food and wine from the table of the King". Today we partake of "the food and wine from the King's table" (the Lord's Supper), but it too is an act of defiance to what the world is offering and an ongoing commitment to our Triune God

Today we welcome the Cadets from Central Alberta churches for our regional Cadet Sunday. The focus of our reflection will be on Mark 10:35-45, Servant Leadership. The cadet theme this year is focused on leadership and how even cadets can be leaders, no matter their young ages. We will be reflecting on how Jesus reminds the disciples that leaders serve, they don't lead for power or authority. We will look at what a leader's character looks like.

Today we will reflect on Psalm 146, A God of Justice. Psalm 146 is one of the Psalms of Ascent, which the people of Israel would sing as they come up the road to Jerusalem. As they came close to the city they would see the temple, and near the temple, they would see the palace of the king. Psalm 146 reminds the people to place their trust in the eternal God over the kings who came and went. Kings were not always kings of justice, so the temple gave the people hope because our God is a God of justice, a God who hears the cries of his people.

Today we will reflect on Words of Life, Psalm 119. Psalm 119 is unique among all of the Psalms.  It is not only the longest of the psalms but also the longest chapter in the entire Bible!  In addition, this longest of all Psalms has one central focus: the Scriptures.  What insight did the psalmist have that compelled him to lovingly compose 176 verses on this one topic?  How can we share in his zeal in our own reading of God's Word?

Today we will reflect on Psalm 143, Teach Me. In Psalm 143, the psalmist asks God for his mercy as his spirit is faint and his heart is dismayed. He meditates on all God's works, he hides himself in the Lord, putting his trust in God. He asks the Lord to show him the way and to teach him how to do the Lord's will. This Reformation Sunday, we will reflect on the importance of sitting at the feet of God to learn, walk in the way of Jesus, and be shaped by God. We will also have the opportunity to celebrate the Lord's Supper together.

Today we will reflect on Genesis 2:7-9, 15-17, God: the Best, the Greatest, the Perfect Gardener! God gave us the mandate to rule over everything he had made on Earth. This morning we will reflect on what it looks like to rule over what God has made. What does it look like to be a steward of God's creation and what part of God's creation may He be calling you to take care of ?

Today we will give thanks to God for all his blessing through the year, and for the blessing of his presence during the difficult times. We will be reflecting on Psalm 66, Praise the Lord! In Psalm 66 we join the psalmist and all the earth in shouting for joy to the Lord for all the Lord has done for us, his people. As part of our service, we will be giving you opportunities to share some of what the Lord has done for you or who the Lord is to you. We will give thanks for God who hears our prayers and never withholds his love from us.

Today we will reflect on Psalm 91, Our Rescuer. This is another of those powerful psalms in which the psalmist is in awe of God and how God is always there for him as his rescuer and refuge. Psalm 8 gave us a “Wow!” look at God through creation. Psalm 91 gives us a “Wow!” look at God through how he is always there for us as our protector and saviour !

Today we will reflect on Psalm 73, Losing Our Foothold. The psalmist is looking at the world around him and he's puzzled. Why do the bad people succeed more than the good people, why do God's people suffer while the evil people do really well? These are still important questions that followers of God still wrestle with today. The psalmist decides to go into the sanctuary of God to find answers.

Today we will reflect on Psalm 46, Fortress and Refuge. Most of us, when we think of Psalm 46, think of the words, “Be still, and know that I am God.” It's the context that makes these words so important. The psalmist amid uproar and chaos, and in spite, or even because of the chaos, he hears the Lord invite him to “Be still, and know that I am God ."

Today we will reflect on Psalm 27, Seeking the Lord's Face. Psalm 27 is a psalm in 2 parts. The first part of the psalm is a hymn of confidence in the Lord, while the second part is a moving prayer for help. In this psalm, we see how the need for confidence and trust in the Lord helps us come to the Lord in times of need. Our prayers are important to God, and he calls us to reach out to him in all circumstances, especially in times of need.

Today we will reflect on Psalm 8, The Work of Your Fingers. In the middle of a group of psalms that focus on those experiencing oppression and powerlessness, comes this psalm of wonder and awe celebrating the majesty of God. We will also commission those involved in our children's, youth, and teaching ministries in the upcoming church year.

Today we will be looking at Psalm 81, God's Lavish Tough Love.  This psalm begins with praise to God for who He is.  It then moves into God talking about how He brought Israel out of Egypt and freed them from bondage and the burden of slavery.  Sadly, Israel didn't obey God, but God still longs to fill their mouths and feed them with the finest wheat and honey.  We will reflect on how all the way through, the Bible tells us what is good, who God is, and points us to the Gospel .

Today we are beginning a new series: A Journey Through the Psalms. Over the next few months, we will reflect on various psalms and their themes. The psalms are written for worship and to give us words and ways to talk to God in almost any situation. We will begin our journey by reflecting on one of the most well-known psalms, Psalm 23, also known as the Shepherd Psalm. In Psalm 23 we are given a look at our shepherd through the eyes and experiences of the sheep. It is a psalm that looks for the Shepherd's presence, providence, and guidance through both the good and the difficult times of life. It is a psalm of trust and hope.

Today we will reflect on Matthew 24:1-35, Signs and More Signs. The Church has been fascinated with figuring out exactly when Jesus is coming back. We will take a look at a passage that many people turn to try to figure out Jesus' timing. The problem is that even Jesus himself told his disciples that he didn't know the time of his return.

Today we will begin a 2-week series on Eschatology. We will begin our series by reflecting on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11, The King is Coming! This is the passage where the Bible talks about the rapture, in Greek the word is “Parousia”. But rather than coming to take us away, Paul tells his readers that when Jesus comes as King, we will go out to meet him to escort our king to his kingdom!

Today we have the pleasure of  Pastor Henry Steenbergen leading us in worship. The focus of our reflection will be on Luke 15:1-3;11-32, Extending Grace to the Lost. Often in this world, we can assume like the older brother in this parable, to be our own saviour. When in reality we need to recognize our need for God's gift of forgiveness and how we can extend that gift to others.

Today we will reflect on Isaiah 30:1-22, Judgement and Joy. Without judgement there will never be the joy. These are the two irreplaceable core elements of the Gospel. Jesus echo's these words from Isaiah in the Gospel of Mark, as he starts His ministry on earth, "Repent and believe the good news!" Just like King Hezekiah in the Old Testament, we need to go to the Lord with full repentance, so that we may have rest in our salvation and experience the full joy of the Lord. 

Today Eddie Maguire from Central Alberta Youth Unlimited will lead us in a reflection on Hebrews 11:1-3,13, Commitment. When you make a commitment it is usually accompanied by the words “I will”. The words of Jesus in John 14:3, “I will return.” Many have committed to serving Jesus because of those words. In Hebrews, we see a host of people of faith who were committed to serving God but didn't have those words-- no excuses for us. Commitment means clearing away all that hinders. Walking the way or running it…. Not standing still.

Today we will reflect on Hebrews 12:1-13, Run the Race Well. This past week we held our Athletes in Action Summer Camp. We will reflect on the authors use of a sports metaphor to encourage our faith life. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus as we are called to live our lives according to Jesus' way.

Today we finish our series on The Covenants by reflecting on Revelation 5, Covenant of Redemption Fulfilled! We enter into a vision given to John of heaven's throne room, where we find the Lion of Judah who is also a Lamb, a sacrificial lamb. Before the Lamb is a scroll that no one can open, containing the history of the battle against God by Satan. The Lamb is the only one able to open it because he's the only one worthy to open it through the offering of his blood for his people. In this vision and what comes next we see how the covenants between God and his people all are fulfilled and the glorious future that lies ahead! 

Today we will reflect on Jeremiah 31:23-37, The New Covenant. Israel's in captivity, slaves to a foreign power, far from home. The Lord comes to his people through Jeremiah and now offers hope and a promise of a new covenant. This is a new commitment that builds on all the previous covenants by placing it right in the hearts of the people. You don't get more committed or closer to the people than this! Looking ahead from Jeremiah, we see this covenant playing out in the coming of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Our God is truly gracious and loving!

Today we will reflect on 2 Samuel 7:1-17 The Davidic Covenant. David is at peace; he's brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. But now, as he sits in his palace, he realizes that the ark is still in a tent. He wants to build a house for God, but instead, God's covenant is to build a house for David, a house of descendants who will sit on the throne. One of David's offspring will be established, and his kingdom will be forever .