Bethlehem Lutheran Church
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This podcast is made available from Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Saint Cloud, MN
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Sermon Pastor Reimnitz - Audio
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Bethlehem Lutheran ChurchKirjoittanut Rev. David M. Reimnitz
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"Invite" -- Sermon from June 29, 2024
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It’s a given in our world that not everyone gets an invitation. Not everyone gets invited to the party, to join the team, to your dream job, or to be in the club. We also know the disappointment when someone else is invited that we don’t think deserves to be on the inside of the exclusive event. Jesus shares a Parable that shows God’s vision for us…
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After losing almost everything important - Job is confronted by three of his friends who try to convince Job that what happened to him was caused by God’s anger because of some specific sin Job had obviously committed. However, Job understands that something greater is at work between God and humanity. Despite Job’s insights and legendary patience,…
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"From" -- Sermon from June 22, 2024
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“Where are you from?” Pastor Chad was asked this many times while accompanying the Sr High Service Learning Trip to the Boston area recently; it seems his Midwestern accent was a giveaway he wasn’t from “The Home of Dunkin’.” Pastor Chad encourages us to look deeper into the question “Where are you from?” beyond where you live or where you were bor…
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Live by Faith, Not by Sight - Audio
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Paul uses earthly images to illustrate the heavenly truth about our life of faith. In faith, we look to an eternal glory that is unseen. Paul describes this glory and how we should live as we await our appearance before the judgment seat of Christ. In living our faith, we witness to others, bringing a message of reconciliation to the world.…
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"Sad Parts" -- Sermon from June 15, 2024
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“Stop your crying and suck it up!” and similar phrases are tossed about when someone is deemed to be “too emotional” or expressing their emotions at an inappropriate moment. You are in good company if you’ve heard this before, in our Focus Text people tell Jesus his crying over the death of Lazarus is inappropriate. Wouldn’t it have been better if …
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Tragedy Reversed - Audio
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Genesis 3 describes the greatest tragedy in all of human history! The movement from a blissful existence of unending life with God to the crushing reality of a fallen world and certain death is held before us. The narrative of Adam and Eve's fall from grace is not meant to entertain and educate as were the ancient Greek tragedies. This real tragedy…
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"Healers" -- Sermon from June 8, 2024
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How has our understanding of healing changed since biblical times? In our focus text this week Jesus heals a boy with what we would call Epilepsy. In the time of Jesus, the boy’s seizures were thought to be caused by a demon twisting his body. Today we know that seizures are caused by electrical misfires in our brain and nervous system. While Jesus…
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Jesus has the authority to give His people rest, and does so through the gift of His own body and bloodKirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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"Should" -- Sermon from June 1, 2024
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Where does your anger lead you? Does it lead to you trying to shape reality by proclaiming what SHOULD or SHOULD NOT be happening. In our focus text this week the people of Nazareth insist that Jesus SHOULD NOT say God’s favor is for all people especially the outsiders and even their enemies! Instead of using anger to exclude others we feel SHOULD …
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The doctrine of the Trinity highlights how impossible it is for us to grasp or comprehend God on our own terms, but also how completely He makes Himself available to us on His own terms.Kirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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"Hurt" -- Sermon from May 25, 2024
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Sometimes it’s hard to see the worth of someone who is lashing out against us. It is hard to remember that we can sometimes lash out the same way, especially when we are tired, or hurt, or fearful, or hungry or feeling like we’ve lost control. In our focus text for this week the religious leaders don’t think a man was worthy of the healing he got b…
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The Outpouring of the Holy Spirit - Audio
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Pentecost was a major Jewish holiday that remembered God for His care of creation by celebrating the harvest of grains. This OT feast became significant for the Church, recast, ironically, into a day for the harvest of souls. The disciples of Christ were transformed into God’s messengers by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit gave them God’s gift of …
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"Slang" -- Sermon from May 18, 2024
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Language changes over time, and that leads to new slang with each new generation. This creates a gap in understanding between generations that is not unlike the gap between the disciples and the visitors from many countries they met on Pentecost. How could they share the Good News of Jesus when they didn’t understand the language of those they enco…
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The Christian Church - Audio
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Just look at how holy the early church was!Kirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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"Motivated" -- Sermon from May 11, 2024
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Today’s focus text is an addendum to the Gospel of Mark. Why did the early scribes feel the need to add to the Gospel? It was to add motivation, it was a commissioning for the followers of Jesus. Being motivated is important and the best motivation comes from inside. The motivation in the text at first seems like external motivators, believe and re…
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This Sunday brings together a favorite theme in John’s Gospel and First Epistle: that we love because we have been loved by Christ. God’s love flows to us from the Father through Jesus. This love is expressed chiefly when Jesus lays down His life for us on the cross (Jn 15:9, 13). It is then Jesus’ commandment that we love one another (15:12). Our …
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"Crossed" -- Sermon from May 4, 2024
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Humans are very good about placing boundaries between US and THEM. In our focus text Jesus acknowledges one of these human boundaries that separated the Jewish people from the non-Jewish people. But the woman he encounters is desperate to help her daughter even if it means crossing that boundary to ask for help from someone on the other side. The h…
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Life in the Vine - Audio
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Easter is all about life and the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, insists that it is only through our connection with Jesus Christ that we live the kind of life in Him that bears fruit.Kirjoittanut Rev. David M. Reimnitz
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"Chains" -- Sermon from April 27, 2024
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How many times should you forgive someone before you give up? Jesus says 77 times. That's a lot! And that's the point we should follow Jesus' example in forgiving others an infinite number of times. But why should we continue to forgive those who don't change their ways or never apologize? Pastor Stephanie reminds us that your forgiveness is not fo…
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The Great Shepherd - Audio
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The Shepherd as a metaphor was already established in Jesus’ day, and it was his application of the significant Old Testament Shepherd theme to Himself that amazed Jesus’ hearers and offers the greatest comfort and peace to us.Kirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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"Rule Book" -- Sermon from April 20, 2024
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As much as we say we hate rules, we also need direction, a vision of where we are headed. Pastor Stephanie invites us to view today’s focus text not as a rule book but a vision of what our life looks like if we are following in the way that Jesus set before us.Kirjoittanut Pastor Stephanie Christoffels
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Becoming Perfect - Audio
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How can we be okay with things that aren’t okay?Kirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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"Reconciled" -- Sermon from April 13, 2024
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Do you have a ‘friend’ who is blocked from your life because of the way they wronged you or a difference in opinion that you can’t overcome? On Social Media it is easy to mute, block, or ban these people in an instant; in real life we have also gotten good at avoiding the hard work and the time needed to restore broken relationships. Pastor Chad in…
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God's Love Story - Audio
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We all desire communion and fellowship—a sense of connectedness and community with God and others, for we are created for fellowship. Sin kills relationships. It destroys our fellowship with God and people. God’s love overcomes our sin in the greatness of His love for us in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Christ’s cross is God’s “love story,” and …
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"UnFair" -- Sermon from April 6, 2024
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"That's Not Fair!" There's many times in life where we find ourselves uttering those words. The Parable of the Prodigal Son is an example of just how unfair life can be! The son who squandered his inheritance in far-off places gets a party while his brother who stayed home has been working hard for their father gets nothing! It's just not fair! Jes…
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Of First Importance - Audio
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What’s most important in your life? Whatever is 'most important' would be the foundation for your life. It is the core, heart, basis, and center of who you are and what you do. Something of first importance has us coming back again and again because we can’t live without it. It gives us hope for the future. It provides a reason to live.…
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"Monday" -- Sermon for Easter 2024
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Pastor Chad is marking his 43rd Easter Service. Hearing the same story over and over again you begin to get comfortable with it as it becomes familiar. Hearing the Easter Story 43 times it is in danger of becoming predictable, so routine it loses meaning. Pastor Chad challenges us to rePHRASE the Easter message and find its value in our life especi…
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How do we find our place in the seemingly chaotic events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion?Kirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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This Is the Feast - Audio
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Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper fulfills a massive tradition that’s more than just the PassoverKirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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A Glorious Death - Audio
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Believers rejoice where only faith can see the glory of God: in Jesus' suffering and death.Kirjoittanut Rev. David M. Reimnitz
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Biblical love is giving to others as God has given to us, and desiring what God has promisedKirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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Promises, Promises - Audio
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The promises of God are able and dependable. He fulfills every promise He has made. Jeremiah’s prophecies of the punishment and restoration of Israel are ultimately seen in the life on Christ on Good Friday and Easter.Kirjoittanut Rev. David M. Reimnitz
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"2nd Chances" -- Sermon from March 16, 2024
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Why does Luke include the dialogue between Jesus and the criminals in the account of the Crucifixion? Pastor Chad invites us to rePHRASE our understanding to see how Luke is emphasizing second chances. A justly condemned criminal is invited to join Jesus in Paradise. Jesus offers forgiveness to the people who were part of his execution while hangin…
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That’s Disgusting - Audio
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Sin is disgusting, but it’s role in the Christian life is avoidance not shameKirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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Few lessons make God’s grace to an undeserving world more clear than our type/antitype Old Testament Reading and Gospel: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life." (John 3:14–15).Kirjoittanut Rev. David M. Reimnitz
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"Fantastical" -- Sermon from March 9, 2024
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Americans love to read novels set in fantasy worlds. Pastor Stephanie invites us to consider what happens when real life blends into the fantastical and the world of faith? God warned King Nebuchadnezzar in a dream that his arrogance would be his downfall. Like many fables used to teach a moral lesson the story of King Nebuchadnezzar uses a fantast…
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God gives us His joy in creation, salvation, and the churchKirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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More Than a Suggestion - Audio
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Lent is a time of penitence, but a Lutheran observance of Lenten penitence does not mean merely shifting our self-absorption (which plagues us all year long!) from preoccupation with pleasure to preoccupation with our sins. Rather, we seek to shift our eyes from self altogether and instead behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world…
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"Control" -- Sermon from March 2, 2024
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Humans like the illusion that they have everything figured out and under control. But times change and the things we thought we had figured out turn out to be completely wrong. The Snake Oil Remedies of the 19th Century where medical breakthroughs of the day. Looking back we know they were ineffective or worse dangerous but at the time we thought w…
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The Scriptures continually warn us against holding onto anger, yet also describe the reality of God’s wrath against sin. God’s judgment can both guide us in showing mercy and guard us against anger driving us into sin.Kirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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Our Spiritual Family Tree - Audio
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Gensis 17 emphasizes God establishing His one-sided covenant with Abraham and Sarah. It is one-sided because God brings all of the blessings to the relationship., Like all people, Abraham and Sarah are simply on the receiving end of God’s bountiful blessings. These promises are ultimately fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Chri…
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"Weird" Sermon from February 24, 2024
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People are weird! Their actions are bizarre. Their behaviors are odd. How are we supposed to react when these peculiar people interact with us? In today’s focus text Jesus has an out of the ordinary encounter. Actions that the Pharisee views as bizarre, Jesus understands as love grounded in repentance & faith. From Jesus’ perspective it is the Phar…
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Two clear messages come across in Scripture: Fear God and don’t be afraid of anything. How do those messages reinforce each other rather than contradict?Kirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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"Fail" -- Sermon February 17, 2024
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Do you ever find yourself wishing someone else would fail, just so you look better? Pastor Stephanie has spent the last two weeks in Norway, training with the MN National Guard. The Winter Survival Training included a number of challenging tasks that would have ended in failure if every member of the team didn't put in the effort to see the whole t…
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"Tired" -- Sermon from February 10, 2024
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Go to your happy place. It’s advice we sometimes hear when we get so tired we dread doing the simplest of things. In our focus text the weary disciples find their happy place on the mountain top with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. Pastor Chad understands the rest that can be found in our happy places, but also knows, like the disciples, we can’t stay in…
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Christus Consolator - Audio
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The Lord’s empty tomb is divine consolation for sinners who know that death is real. We see the continuity between Jesus’ healing and preaching ministry and the ongoing ministry of the Lord Christ in the Divine Service—thus finding genuine consolation in His death and resurrection and true healing in the reception of His body and blood. Here we are…
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"Magical" -- Sermon from February 3, 2024
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Turning water into wine is just a magic trick, right? If ‘The Amazing Chad’ can do it, what is so miraculous about Jesus’ version? Pastor Chad invites us to rePHRASE this story in a way that is less about a miracle and more about being a sign pointing to God’s vision for our world. It is about finding God’s abundance among the scarcity of life. Whe…
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It’s Not What You Know - Audio
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Who’s right? Jesus is! Jesus is the ultimate authority, and He uses it to proclaim forgivenessKirjoittanut Rev. Matthew D. Priem
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"Worries" -- Sermon from January 27, 2024
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We all have worries. But what happens when those worries become such a burden that we are paralyzed by fear? Our focus text has some words from Jesus addressing our worry. It is not simply have faith and your worries will be gone. Jesus recognizes that there are some worries that can be beneficial, those worries that spur us into action. But too of…
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