Bethel Crc Lacombe

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 .

Today we will reflect on Exodus 20:1-21 and Exodus 24:3-8, The Mosaic Covenant. Here God gives Israel the 10 Commandments and various other laws to shape Israel into his people. A people who will reflect him to the nations. God reminds them of who he is and what he’s done for them, leading them out of slavery and into freedom, using his power and authority on their behalf as his people. The Law is seen as a gift by Israel, as it makes clear what their relationship with the Lord is to be like. Israel is called to obedience and faithfulness.

Today we reflect on Genesis 17, The Covenant of Circumcision. This covenant is made with Abraham where God promises to make Abraham the father of many nations. The Lord makes it clear that the child He has promised Abraham will come through Sarah, who will be the mother of the promised child, not Ishmael, who has just been born to the slave girl Hagar. God doesn’t forget Ishmael and promised to make him the father of 12 rulers; a counterpoint to the 12 tribes of Israel that will later come from Abraham through the children of his grandson Jacob’s children. Circumcision is the sign God chooses as a sign of fruitfulness and trust.

Today we reflect on Genesis 12:1-9 and Genesis 15:1-21, The Abrahamic Covenant. This is a two-part covenant of land and heirs; a promise to give Abraham an heir from his own body, who will live in the land the Lord is giving him. The Lord tells Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the night sky. A promise that God will protect Abraham’s descendants even though a time of slavery outside the promised land is coming. God makes this a covenant of blood and is the only one to walk that path, taking on all the responsibility of fulfilling the covenant.

Today we will reflect on Genesis 9:1-17, The Noahic Covenant. The Lord punishes the world for its evilness by sending a flood. God sees that Noah is righteous,  so he calls Noah & his sons to build an ark to save themselves and the animals of creation. This flood story takes us back to creation and the Lord’s commands to Adam and his family: to be fruitful and multiply. In Noah’s story, it is the renewing of creation and offering a new covenant with Noah that builds upon the covenant with Adam. This covenant includes a promise to never cleanse the world in this way again. God gives humanity the rainbow as a symbol of this promise.

Today we will reflect on Pentecost; the great harvest feast of the Jewish people. We will focus our reflection on Acts 2:1-13, The Gift. On Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection and 10 days after his ascension to heaven, Jesus sends his Spirit to empower the church and to carry forward his last instruction to go make disciples. The Spirit gives us the gift of communication and courage to go into the world to share the Good News.

Today we will reflect on Jesus’ ascension to heaven by focusing on Matthew 28:16-20, Last Instructions Before Returning Home. Jesus returns home to heaven 40 days after his resurrection from the dead. Jesus is going home to claim his crown as King of kings; to take up the authority he has been given and take his place on the throne beside God his Father. Before he leaves, he gathers with his disciples and gives them one last command, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” This command is the main mission of the church still today.

Today we are celebrating the Profession of Faith of 8 young adults as they commit themselves to Jesus and the church. Aiden, Rachel, Connor, Kayla, Torey, Conner, Brooklyn, and Kyler will profess their faith in Jesus and their desire to make him Lord of their life. We will reflect on Jeremiah 29:1-14, For the Welfare of the City; a verse that shaped our Profession of Faith class. Israel is in exile and the Lord calls them to build houses and settle down because they’re going to be there for a while. Then the Lord gives this command, “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.” As followers of Jesus, we are also called to seek the peace and prosperity of the places where God has placed us as this gives our community a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven, a glimpse into what following Jesus is all about, and the kind of a God we follow.

Today we will reflect on Isaiah 56:1-8, A House of Prayer for All Nations. This will be our annual prayer service and will incorporate prayers for various topics. In this passage from Isaiah, the Lord ties together justice and righteousness with keeping the Sabbath. Worship and right living go hand in hand in the Christian life. God is calling not only the Jews, but people from all nations to be his people and come to his temple, a house of prayer for all nations and peoples. This is an echo back to God calling Abraham and telling him that his family will be a blessing to all nations.

Today we are celebrating GEMS Sunday, where our girls’ ministry will be leading many of the parts of our worship. We will reflect on Isaiah 40:28-31, Rise Up! Lessons from Queen Esther. Esther is a fascinating woman in Israel’s history, she goes from being an orphan to becoming the most powerful woman in the empire. Esther is called to put her life on the line for the sake of her people and to fulfill God’s plan to save his people from a powerful threat. Esther responds in trust, with prayer, and using her gifts to save her people 

Today we are celebrating the sacrament of baptism . The family has chosen Isaiah 46 where God promises “I Will Sustain You.” God is speaking through Isaiah, reminding the people that he has upheld his people and carried them since they have been born, unlike the idols which have to be borne by beasts of burden or people. Rather than sustain idols, the people are reassured that God sustains them. This is a beautiful passage of hope and a reminder to keep our eyes on God.

This year our Good Friday Service will be held at 7:30 p.m. on March 29, 2024. We will hold a Tenebrae service reflecting on John 1:29 and John 10:14-18, Picture Jesus: The Lamb. This is a service of shadows as we journey to the cross with Jesus. During this service, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

Today is Easter the high point of the church year! We will join with the universal church by rejoicing in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. We will reflect on John 11:25-26 and John 20:1-9, Picture Jesus: The Resurrection and the Life. These are wonderful words of comfort & hope; knowing that whether we live or die we belong to Jesus. Through his life and resurrection, we also experience life and resurrection. 

Today is Palm Sunday celebration we will reflect on John 12:12-19, Picture Jesus: The King. Historically Palm Sunday has been associated with Jesus’ kingship; however he was not the king the people wanted but the king that the people need. The Jewish leaders and the Romans felt threatened by Jesus as king. They mocked the idea of his kingship in his trial and his death by posting on the cross above his head “King of the Jews.” Following this story John records God affirmation of Jesus and directs us to glorify Him. The question we will be leaving with is: “Is Jesus truly our King ?"

Today is the fifth Sunday of Lent and we will focus our reflection on John 13:1-17, The Foot-washer. This is our Mexico Mission trip commissioning service. We will reflect on what it looks like to be a servant; to be willing to humble ourselves, to place the needs of others first, making serving a part of our character, and a regular part of our life journey as we follow in Jesus’ footsteps. We will reflect on how washing feet is also an image of Jesus washing away our sins.

Today is the fourth Sunday of Lent and we will reflect on John 10:11-18, The Shepherd. In this passage Jesus refers to himself as the Good Shepherd; echoing back to the bad shepherds that Ezekiel describes in the Old Testament. Kings, such as King David, were often referred to as shepherds, called to provide and protect their people and ensuring that there was justice in the land. Being a shepherd is not an easy task, as sheep don’t always follow well and can be stubborn. Yet Jesus chooses to be our shepherd, chooses us and we get to call him our shepherd. We get to say that the creator of the universe has chosen us as his sheep and knows us by name !

Today is the third Sunday of  our Lenten series, John 2:1-11, The Miracle Worker. Picture Jesus at a wedding feast  when an embarrassing problem comes up; the wedding runs out of wine. This is a shameful thing for the groom and his family, so Jesus’ mother asks him to help. Jesus replies that it’s not his time yet, but in a spirit of grace, Jesus turns 6 jars of water into the best of wines. This was the first of many  signs revealing his glory. Our focus today is the meaning of this sign.

Today is the second Sunday of Lent. We will reflect on John 6:25-40, The Bread of Life. This story happens the day after Jesus fed 5,000 people with only 2 small fish and 5 loaves of bread. During the night, Jesus spent time with his Father and then walked on the water to join his disciples in their boat. Soon after arriving on the other side of the lake crowds begin to gather; their hope is to be fed again by Jesus, but also to put him on the throne in Jerusalem. Jesus challenges them on why they want him, telling them that he is the bread of life and  if they come to him, they will never go hungry. What does it mean to come to Jesus; what are you hungry for ?

Today  is the first Sunday of Lent.  During the Lenten season, we will reflect on the pictures of who Jesus revealed in the Gospel of John, beginning with Picture Jesus: The Living Water, John 4:1-15. As Jesus travels with his disciples from Judea to Galilee, he encounters a Samaritan woman at a well during mid-day; an unusual time of the day for someone to come to the well. Jesus asks her if she would be willing to give him some water and during their discussion, Jesus offers her living water so she would never be thirsty again. Jesus asks us the same question still today, “Do you want my living water?” How do you answer him ?