Friday, November 20, 2020

November 22, 2020 “Upside Down: Get Those Angels Out of Here” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

 Matthew 25.31-46 The Judgement of the Nations

31 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 37Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” 40And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” 41Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” 44Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” 45Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” 46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

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Our scripture lesson this morning is Jesus’ parable about the son of man – another name for Jesus that emphasizes his humanity. He is coming. Jesus is coming in all his glory. Matthew paints a word picture of Jesus sitting on his glorious throne, surrounded by angels. He is separating the sheep from the goats. The sheep partake in the glory that we understand to be heavenly, while the goats go to a place of eternal punishment which we usually call hell. Though we may be a bit confused about what heaven and hell are like, we are clear that it is better to go where the sheep are going than to go where the goats are headed.

The bible is not easy to navigate. It is written in a way that should keep us thinking and praying and studying together. When we read about Heaven and Hell, the bible is not as clear to us as we would want it to be. 

When we read the Bible, it helps to remember three things. First, one passage alone does not always tell the whole story. The bible is an ongoing conversation about many things. The bible has information, not only on heaven and hell, but on political campaigns, military strategies. There are legal instructions for marriages, mortgages, debts, and designs for furniture in the sanctuary. We find chemical formulas for incense and oils in the altar lamps. The bible tells about family feuds, the future, genealogies, skeletons in the closet, dirty laundry, royalty, the rich and the famous, the right and the wrong, the poor and the needy, the helpless, the hopeless, the leaderless, underground paths toward freedom for scattered refugees and run away victims of domestic violence. The bible has verses to help raise your confidence, raise your children, raise your self-esteem and raise your moral standards. The bible is complex and requires our careful thought and focus, without which we miss out on the feast!

A second thing to remember when we read the bible is that it is often helpful to interpret one passage through the eyes of another passage. There are many layers and opportunities to connect the dots, but not to worry, the Spirit helps us, especially when we allow it. We have to trust God because the bible is so much bigger than life.

A third thing to remember when we read the bible is that it is not necessary or helpful to blame God or the bible or the church or each other when we don’t understand something or don’t like something in the bible. Rather, it is good to be patient and continue praying, reading and studying, knowing that some things are understood gradually, not instantly or easily.

It is important to take the time to think as well as pray. Over 200 years ago, the father of Methodism John Wesley taught us four guiding principles. # 1 not only read the bible, but reflect on scripture, # 2 to respect the wisdom of our church traditions, (being ready to let go of her dogma and embrace her sound doctrine), # 3 to value our individual and corporate experiences, such as Wesley himself saying one day his heart was strangely warmed and he felt personally closer to God than ever, and finally # 4 logic and reasoning should be a part of our bible study and conversation as well.

Even with studying, we are challenged to wrap our minds around the mysteries of Heaven and Hell.

Many churches mark this Sunday on the calendar as Christ the King Sunday. It is a day to remember that Jesus is king of the universe. He is Lord of Heaven and earth. One source said that a pope initiated this special day 100 years ago in 1925. Unfortunately, at times the church tries to take over the throne.

The reminder of Jesus’ ruling and reigning in our world and in our lives is captured in the 31st verse of Matthew’s reading that says  31 ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

The word “glory” like a diamond, has many facets. It comes from the Greek word “DOXA” from which we get the word “doxology,” meaning “praise.” One who is glorified is one praised enthusiastically for inward and outward excellence, one who is celebrated, one who shines, though such brightness is utterly indescribable and imperceptible to the naked eye. Glory may put us in a state of ecstasy and delight for which no words will ever be adequate.

Glory is best understood when experienced. The glory of Jesus coming to save us from our troubles, ruling and reigning with peace and justice leaves us speechless. The idea of the glorious presence of Jesus who knows our name and every strand of hair on our head, who loves us with an everlasting love… can take our very breath away. He shines in ways that all who see become jubilant and awe-inspired.

We have a little sense of what glory is like when we sing “Gloria in excelsis deo” “Glory to God in the highest” – that is the highest Heaven. Our honor and praise is to go to the God who higher than anyone and can be found in the highest Heaven, as distinguished from the heavenly heights where birds fly among the clouds, or a higher place where wicked kingdoms rule. Above ALL else is God.

Matthew tells us Jesus comes in all his glory and sits on his glorious throne, ruling and reigning, separating sheep from goats.

Sheep and goats, like humans, are from the same family. Sometimes they look like each other and it’s hard to tell which is which. When a sheep and a goat mate, they produce a hybrid called a “geep,” which is usually infertile. 

According to Treehugger.com, “sheep and goats differ in the way that the forage for food. Sheep are grazers; they ramble slowly eating short plants close to the ground. Goats are browsers; they look for leaves, twigs, vines, and shrubs.  



Sheep are known for their woolly coats, which require annual shearing. A sheep's woolly coat will continue growing unless it is sheared. Goats are generally hairy and don’t require haircuts. A goat’s tail usually points up; a sheep’s tail hangs down.

Goats are independent and are said to be easier to handle. Sheep are sheepish and when frightened, they run and run. They have a very strong flocking instinct and become agitated when separated from their posse. More people consume goat milk than the milk from any other animal.

Sheep and goats have different characteristics. Those characteristics are neither good nor bad; they are just different, so why does Jesus come in all his glory to separate the sheep from the goats. Is the ruler of the universe sending some to eternal punishment and others to eternal life? Is this a time to divide rather than reconcile?

The answer is not in the differences between sheep and goats. The answer is not even about whether we are on the sheep side or the goat side. The answer is about whether we are a part of a posse that does the six things Jesus mentioned: feed the hungry, quench the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned.

As the church, we are indeed part of the posse that focuses on those six ministries. However, we live in a world among those who want nothing to do with giving honor and glory to Jesus. There are some in this world for whom the sight of angels surrounding Jesus throne is disgusting. Not everyone is on the Christian journey with us.

When angels come to hate-filled houses and take away those being abused, or trafficked, or accepted regardless of political party, race, religion, orientation, they may get shot at, spit at, their tires slashed, their jobs lost, …anything may be done to “Get those angels out of HERE!”

So Jesus says to the goats on his left hand,  “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; He says to the sheep on the right, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;…”

Whether they went to heaven or to hell, the path that each took would be everlasting, it could not be undone, just as words that are said can never, ever be taken back. There is no indication that either the sheep or the goats begged to take the path that the other was assigned. I mean, could it be nice sometime as Christians to go in another direction for a couple years, to stop giving to God our tithes and offerings in spite of the glorious blessings with which God has showered our lives, to say mean things that are bursting to come out of our mind instead of speaking our truth in love to those who hurt us?

Jesus parable hints at two different paths, but we are left to reflect and speculate as to what either of them are completely like. Heaven and Hell are for the most part are a bit fuzzy and incomprehensible, but at the very least, we know that they are spiritual places with feelings and experiences that are out of this world as we know it, whether divine or demonic, glorious or horrid.

How we act matters in ways small and great. It is heavenly to know that walking into a room with a smile can change the mood in a good way. Laughter can create a wave of positivity that heals and helps. Doctors say that when a person yawns, others in the room will yawn as a reflex, especially if they have the personality trait of sympathy for others.

At the same time, most of us have experienced being somewhere when all hell seems to break lose. Maybe we have been the hell-raisers or a victim of such chaos infiltrating our hearts and minds, challenging our spiritual lives. Hell can be in the heart.

There is also good reason to believe that Heaven and Hell are not only spiritual places to which we can journey with our lifestyle, but they are actual physical places. It must be, though, that Heaven and Hell have their own atmosphere, just like the atmosphere that we fly a plane in is different from the atmosphere that we are living and breathing in at this moment, just like the outer space atmosphere that our astronauts go into is different, and the moon’s atmosphere is different from that of the planets like Neptune. I can believe that Heaven is a physical as well as a spiritual place and Hell is too.

But, whether we are in a Heavenly place or a living Hell, every step we take matters. Jesus is on the throne as Lord of the universe and though our every step is everlasting, if we ask Jesus to keep us on the right side, we will be shepherded into glorious places and filled with unspeakable joy and peace, so much so that when we can shine in a way that changes the atmosphere for good. Amen.

 


 

 

 

 

Friday, November 13, 2020

November 15, 2020 Matthew 25.14-30 “Upside Down – Never Trust a Slave” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

 On this 32nd week of our masked worshipping, we are waiting on the Lord and we are of GOOD courage!  Our musical selection is before us. 

It is fair to say that the evil of slavery has existed from the beginning of time. No matter what historical angle we view slavery, it has always been some type of bondage. Bondage is the work of the enemy. Bondage is designed to steal, kill, and destroy. Those in bondage are enslaved with emotional, physical or spiritual chains. They suffer from a loss of freedom. A slave is a captive, living with an unwelcome restriction and forced servitude.  

We can appreciate Bob Dylan’s song reminding us that one way or another we are all going to serve somebody: 

You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes
Indeed you're gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you're gonna have to serve somebody

God calls us out of slavery into a life of freedom in Christ. God calls us, not to bondage but to be servants to one who loves and cares for us. It is our happy and humble privilege to serve such a God. When we want to be truly free, we learn to love and serve our God with all our hearts and all our souls and all our strength!

Adam and Eve dismissed, disrespected, and disobeyed God. They not only lost their life of leisure and had to work by the sweat of their brow, but they were banished from paradise. They became captives.

The Hebrew children of God were not trapped by their disobedience like Adam and Eve. They were victims of a situation beyond their control. In spite of their bitter circumstances, the God who was bigger than their problems was there to swallow up their suffering.

When the Egyptians saw that the Hebrew children were beginning to outnumber them, they were afraid. They began to worry about losing control of their government, their military and their economic resources.     Instead of finding ways to work and live together, the Egyptians made laws and used military might, cruelty and slavery to control and kill their brother and sister Hebrews who were also human.

After a long time, Moses and his brother Aaron got up the courage to acknowledge God’s call to help their sister and fellow Hebrews leave their life of slavery. They mustered the strength to accept God’s help, to act in obedience and lead the people to freedom.

Moses was among the most famous Hebrew slaves. He was angry, very angry. And, his anger cost him. When he witnessed an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, you know what he did. He killed the Egyptian slave master. There is no record of Moses officially standing trial for that murder, though there were hostile witnesses, but it is fair to say that he spent the rest of his life in his own prison of rage and reckless behavior. His relationship with God and the people of God were negatively affected.

This morning’s parable tells of a slave master who made his subjects responsible for resources the bible calls talents. It was another name for money, and it is also where we get the idea of talents meaning or special abilities and aptitude.

Talents, like gold and silver today, were not taken lightly in ancient times. The value could be high or low depending on the economy. It could be hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Even today, things made of silver and gold are never thrown into the trash because they are always considered valuable.

This slave master, this boss, this CEO, however we want to title or label this person -  gave one slave 5 talents, another slave 10 talents and another slave received one talent. Much of life is the same way. Each of us has different resources, different gifts and talents worth, valued differently depending upon where we are and what economic or spiritual season we are in. Time and chance happen to us all. We are not in charge. We are subjects, underlings, even slaves to our creator, for it is God who has made us, not we ourselves.

At the same time, every one of us has something. No matter who we are, where we come from and where we are going, God has left none of us empty-handed! Each of us is, on many levels, free to choose what to do with the many blessings that are God-given gifts. No matter who we are – you and I - we are precious in God’s sight. You and I – we are highly valued. We are worthy, beloved, the apple of God’s eye. It is good to see ourselves as God sees us. It is good to see our family, friends, and neighbors near and far as God sees them – valuable, worthy, beloved, precious.  

So, what’s up with the slave master, the boss, the CEO in Jesus’ parable? He gives kudos to those who invested their talents and got a 100% return? He tells them in verse 23 ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

 

The two who made a profit received approval and were called to joy. But, the one who produced nothing explained himself in verse 24

 

 Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’

 But his master replied, ‘you wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest.

God, can be seen in this story as our master, our CEO, our boss who gives us gifts with a purpose and a plan. God gives us gifts so that we can be blessed and so that we can be a blessing to those around us! If we bury our gifts do not use them, blessings are blocked, delights are detoured, and wishes are waylaid.

God is NOT harsh to say it is wicked and lazy to bury our talents instead of using them to produce whatever good. No, God is not harsh. God has boundaries that are healthy and holy. God loves us so much that God accepts us just as we are, but God is too loving to leave us that way, making us think we do not need to do better at times.

As Christians can be too hard on ourselves. Sometimes we feel guilty when God is holding us blameless. Sometimes we work twice as much   when God is calling us to rest. Yet, sometimes we are lazy and neglect to work the work God gives us to be the blessing God intends. It always pays to serve our wonderful God. Serving God is money in the bank. For example, scripture tells us when we give to the poor, we lend to the Lord. Only what we do for Christ will last, as one song says.

Whatever God puts in our hands is a blessing. Our job is to keep a conversation going with God as to how to use those blessings in order to build others up and to build the kin-dom of God. It is a job. Laziness is not acceptable. Laziness intends that the job be left undone or left for someone else to do it. Laziness says “no” to a neighbor when God calls us to meet a need. That’s wicked. Laziness refuses to listen and learn from our God how to be the best servant we can be. That’s wicked.

When the world is upside down, we are ALL in bondage, but God calls us to freedom in Christ. No matter how big our problems may be, God is bigger. No matter what pain whips us, God is a healing balm in Gilead. No matter how much suffering, sadness and despair come our way from those in positions above us, God has enough peace and joy to calm our hearts. No matter how hard the waves may rock our lifeboats in a storm, God is still in charge.

We can always put our trust in the God who loves and cares for us and holds us securely in a comforting hand. God lifts us up on Eagles wings and carries us to a better place. God makes a way for us when there is no way, saying ‘I reap where I do not sow, and gather where I do not scatter.’ We can count on God to create something from what we think of as nothing. We can trust God when we can trust nobody else.

Let us trust God today and always. Amen.

Shall we bow in prayer…

God, we love being your servants. We love being loved by you. Show us all the more how to love one another, especially when we are hearts are not as willing as thy need to be.

We pray as you taught the disciples:  

Our father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hopefully, this message has freed you for joyful service. Next week we continue in Matthew 25.31-46 in the Upside Down theme and the thought “Get These Angels Out of Here”. If you would like to make your contribution to the great ministry and mission of Bethel, the website is



Or you can send it to 952 Bethel Church Road, Spring City, Pa. 19475. God bless you!



Friday, November 6, 2020

November 8, 2020 Matthew 25.1-13 “Upside Down – Stupid Is As Stupid Does” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

 On this 31st week of our masked worshipping, we are waiting on the Lord and we are of GOOD courage!  Our musical selection is before us. 

Have you ever heard Jesus tell the bridesmaid story?  Weddings were a big deal for Jesus. Just as there were in ancient history, we have many wedding traditions.

One American bride wanted to know the meaning of the tradition of having the father of the bride walk her down the aisle. She said she was not close to her father and not sure she was even going to invite him to the wedding. She learned that originally the tradition was a part of arranged marriages. The father “gave his daughter away” in exchange for debts that were owed or collateral for certain agreements that would be made. It was a plus if the bride could bear children, for that would mean free labor for farming and other business.

These days, fathers walking their daughters down the aisle has become less of a way to seal the deal or an insult to women. It is simply a way to honor fathers.

Traditions change from generation to generation. Remember the time rice would be thrown at a couple to represent hopes that their love would grow and prosper? Now we might throw bird seed, flower petals, blow bubbles, applaud or skip it all together. Traditionally, some brides wore red dresses like some Chinese brides do today until Queen Victoria started influencing the wearing of white in the 1800’s, not to symbolize purity but to symbolize wealth.

In Jesus’ story, there were ten bridesmaids. That is a pretty big wedding. He begins by saying, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

One ancient Jewish tradition held that the groom would go to his father’s house and prepare a place for the bride. Evidently, when the house was ready, he would go to the bridesmaids who were waiting to hear his voice and he make the grand announcement that the preparations were complete. Then they would all ceremoniously go to the bride and escort her to her new home.

This tradition resonates with Jesus’ words to his disciples who make a covenant with him. He says: I go to prepare a place for you…as promised…if it were not so, I would have told you…in my father’s house there are many mansions….meaning many rooms. The church is symbolized as the bride and Jesus is the one who covenants to make all the preparations that are needed to take care of us.

Back then there were no cell phones to communicate when the time had arrived for the bridal party to begin their journey. There was just tell-a-woman. The bridesmaids just had to be ready when the time came. Just like Thanksgiving dinner. Some of us do not always have a set time to sit down and eat. We simply watch and wait to be called to the dinner table.

The job of the bridesmaids was to lead a procession, just like bridesmaids lead a procession today. If it was dark, they needed their lamps. We do not know if the processional was a couple blocks or a couple miles.

We just know that five were ready and five were not ready. Verse 2 says: 

2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. 6But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’

 7Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9But the wise replied, ‘No! There will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’

10And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut.

One great point of Jesus’ parable of the ten bridesmaids is to help each of us to be ready.  Are we ready for Jesus to come? Do we have what we need to go and serve? Is are heart in tune enough to celebrate with Jesus? Are we ready to receive the blessings that God has prepared for us?

If we are cussin’ and fussin’ we may not be as ready as we could be. If we are fornicating and disrespecting we may not be as ready as we could be.

The more we do that is holy and healthy the less we do to discourage and distract the work of the Holy Spirit in us and around us.

If we are ready, we have our lamps lit, and we have enough oil to last for the journey. When we are planning a long drive, we get ready by filling the tank. Don’t we?

Oil is essential in our daily lives. There are many types with different purposes. Oil is also essential in our spiritual lives. Oil in the bible represents the work of the Holy Spirit in the nooks and crannies of life. A daily anointing of the oil of God’s presence and word and obedience to God’s way makes our lives and relationships run smoothly, oil flowing from God’s heart to our home, generates soothing words and comforting acts of kindness. Spiritual oils from prayer has therapeutic aromas that calm us. Oil carries nutrients to the body of Christ to embolden and enlighten and unite us. Oil shines for all to see a reflection of the image of God.

Oil is good, and good things come with a price. Oil is often made with lots of pressure and heat. Sometimes chemical catalysts are required to make oil. Making oil requires a clean start. For olive oil, the twigs and leaves have to be completely removed.

Five of the bridesmaids did not have enough oil for their lamps to stay lit for the journey. It can be a very unpleasant moment when the light goes out. When the oil runs out of a furnace in the middle of the night, the night seems longer. If you want to bake a cake and you have no oil, you might as well not bake. Just as oil is essential for many reasons in our daily lives, spiritual oil of the Holy Spirit working in us is essential if we want to live the blessed life.

Jesus’ parable of the five foolish bridesmaids warns us to be readily available for the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, for a change is always coming and we will need it. We need the Holy Spirit to help us when God calls us to new ministries and missions. We need the Holy Spirit to help us when our family relationships need mending. We need the Holy Spirit to help us generate joy in the midst of a Covid 19.

Do you have the Holy Spirit working in your life when you need help and guidance? Are you ready to go when Jesus calls you? Do you have a light for those in darkness? Does goodness gladden your heart enough so you can celebrate even in the midst of sadness? Are you READY?

What can we do if we are not ready? What can we do if we know our lives are short of being holy and healthy? We should get ready. Does not the Isaiah tell us to 6 Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Five wise bridesmaids were ready, but, wisely, they could not give any of their oil to the other five who were not prepared. They wisely told them to go and buy some.

Each of us has to have our own relationship with God. We cannot thrive on anyone else’s faith. We have to get to know the Lord for ourselves. We all have to invest in love and devotion, service, celebration and obedience to God for ourselves. Again, verse 10 tells us  10And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. 11Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ 13Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

We cannot afford to fall asleep on our faith!  Sleep is a metaphor for prayerlessness. Not everybody that comes to church comes to pray. Sometimes we are asleep. We won’t be ready unless we watch and pray. When we do not watch and pray, we block blessings from entering our lives and the lives of those around us. When we do not watch and pray, we hinder our healing and the healing of those around us. When we do not watch and pray, we risk ruining our future and forfeiting our freedom. When we do not watch and pray, we miss the joy of celebrating the kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven.

Now is the time to surrender our lives so that God can cleanse our hearts and the Holy Spirit can work a great work in our lives and the lives of others. Now is the time, for we do not know the day or the hour when the door will be shut, the opportunity to be blessed and to be a blessing will be gone. We do not always get a second chance. Now is the time to spend our time loving, serving, celebrating, and obeying the God who has blessed us. That is the smart and wise thing to do. Let it be so today and forever. Amen. 

Let us pray…

Our father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

We trust this message is seeping into the nooks and crannies of your spirit and generating peace and joy.  Next week we continue in Matthew 25 in the Upside Down theme and the thought “Never Trust A Slave”. If you would like to make your contribution to the great ministry and mission of Bethel, the website is 


Or you can send it to 952 Bethel Church Road, Spring City, Pa. 19475.  God bless you!