Bethel Community Church Orlando

Resurrection - Week 1

Sometimes Jesus spoke in parables so that only those who were genuinely listening would understand what He was saying. One parable Jesus told before He died was about sheep and goats. Just as a shepherd separates the goats from the sheep, so will Jesus differentiate between His true followers and those that are only pretending. True believers are justified by faith, and then they live out their faith as an example of what Jesus has done in their lives. 

Get in the Game - Week 8 // Remaining in the Game until Christ Returns

In Luke 2, Simeon's desire to see Christ brought anticipation as Simeon waited for God to fulfill His promise. We aren't anticipating the birth of Christ, but we are waiting for Him to return. Throughout the game of life we should serve, worship, and long for Christ. We demonstrate that we desire Christ and anticipate His return by how we live our life. 

Goodness of God - Bethel Picnic

God knew that we would forget what He has done for us. In the Old Testament, after God's people had crossed the Jordan River, He instructed 12 men to return to that spot and retrieve 12 stones. They were to build a memorial in order to remember what God had done. It wasn't just for the people who had witnessed the miracle, but it was also a way for them to share the goodness of God with their children and future generations.

Get in the Game - Week 7 // Make the Best Use of Your Time

Prayer, Bible reading, church attendance, serving others - they are all ways for us to "Get in the Game" of the Christian life. However, as we live our lives, it becomes difficult to find the time to include these disciplines. God grants each of us a finite amount of time, and we must use that time wisely. Making Christ a priority in our lives will help us navigate our decisions on how we use our time. 

Get in the Game - Week 6 // Whatever it Takes

The Rich Young Ruler thought he was good enough to earn salvation. He probably saw his riches as favor from God. However, when confronted by Jesus to give up his wealth, he walked away sad. Salvation is not a reward for righteousness. No one can ever be good enough, rich enough, or blessed enough to earn salvation. Salvation is a gift from God to those who are humble enough to admit they need saving.

Get in the Game - Week 5 // The Love of God Compels Us

God doesn't need anything from us. He owns everything! However, to be a disciple of Jesus means you “get in the game” by living your life on mission for God. We'll see how this includes our money, but going all-in, with our whole lives, is more than a financial contribution. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul gives a motivation, a measure, and a mission for how to live a generous, Christ-centered life. If Christ died for us, then we should no longer live for ourselves but for Him.

Get in the Game - Week 4 // When God Calls

Most of us probably think of Moses as a hero of faith. He stood up to Pharaoh, parted the Red Sea, received the Ten Commandments, and spoke with God face to face. While all of those things are true, there’s another side to the story. Before Moses did these great things, he gave five excuses to God as to why he wasn't qualified to the lead the Israelites. However, Moses learned that when God calls, don't make excuses!

Get in the Game - Week 3 // Consumer vs. Follower

We need to desire what God desires more than what we desire. Judas was a follower of Jesus. However, his desires came before what Jesus desired. Despite Judas's betrayal of Jesus, Jesus didn’t stop Judas from doing what Judas intended to do; neither did Judas stop Jesus from doing what Jesus intended to do. Ultimately, God is God. It's up to us to follow Him wholly and completely. 

Get in the Game - Week 2 // Take the Gospel Deep

In Mark 4, Jesus tells the parable of the sower and the seeds. He uses the hard, rocky, thorny, and fertile soils to represent our hearts and how we receive the Word of God. As Jesus tells the story, the seeds are unable to grow in the hard, rocky, and thorny soils. We realize that the problem isn't the sower (Jesus) or the seed (the gospel). The problem is the condition of our hearts (the soil). We must be a fertile soil that allows the gospel to go deep and take root in our lives so that we can bear fruit.

Get in the Game - Week1 // The Start

Take a step of faith, and get in the game! Although quick to commit to Jesus, Peter is sometimes unsteady in his faith in Christ. At first Peter’s faith was very strong; it just didn’t last long. Peter, like us, needed sustaining faith. The faith we all can find in knowing Jesus. Peter's faith may have wavered, but Jesus proves that He is trustworthy. God proves that He is gracious. As we go through the storms of life, may we continue to take steps of faith and trust that Jesus will see us through it.