Bethlehem Lutheran Church Podcast Bethlehem Lutheran Church

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 receive this reward, but Pastor Chad challenges us to see these rewards as the results of being motivated from the inside by a heart that reflects God’s love for us and all Creation.

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 healing of her daughter illustrates the power of God’s love, grace, mercy, and compassion to break down our boundaries so that we can cross over to the “other” side and share that love, grace, mercy, and compassion with them!

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 for them it is for you! It breaks the chain that connects you to them and the evil they have done, freeing you to love & forgive others as God intends which in turns breaks their chains to sin.

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.

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 invites us to explore our focus text where Jesus reminds us that God’s vision for Creation is all about taking the time and putting in the effort to restore brokenness with grace, mercy, love, and compassion. Living into the story of our faith means we strive to be reconciled with one another and with God.

"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! Jesus uses parables to show his followers what the Kingdom of God is all about. So the Kingdom of God is unfair?! Yes, and that's the Good News!! God welcomes us each home even when we don't deserve it. And we never deserve it because we all have squandered what God has given us at some point in our lives. Thanks be to God that love is unfair!