the bethel news july 2014

When Daniel worships his own God, Darius doesn’t change the rules for him. This seems ridiculous. The king loves Daniel, he doesn’t want Daniel to die, and he’s the king! Why doesn’t he just change the rules? Well, it doesn’t work that way. The law is inflexible: not one “jot or tittle” (Matt 5:18) will be changed. There is no wiggle room. This is terrible news for us sinners.

One of the great misconceptions about Christianity is that grace involves setting aside, circumventing, or ignoring the rules (the law). At the very least, we think of Jesus’ good work as lowering the bar of the law. He takes all of God’s laws and turns them into “Do your best to love God and love each other. Try. Peace out, man.”

But this is a profoundly flawed view. In the Sermon on the Mount, for instance, Jesus raises the bar of the law. Or, more accurately, showing how high the bar of the law has always been. From the beginning, God has always demanded perfection. Uninterrupted, inside-out, outside-in perfection. “Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Like grace, the law has no “buts.”

When we sin, God does not set the law aside. If he did, we could never have any assurance, or peace. What is he going to do next time? What if we do something worse? What if we keep doing the thing that we did? Is he going to keep setting aside the law? This is not grace, and it doesn’t lead to peace. It leads, rather, to fear. When we count on the rules being relaxed for us, we’re hoping on something in which we have no confidence.

The Good News is that God does better than setting aside the law. He closes lions’ mouths.

Jesus did not come to relax the law; he came to FULFILL the law! Or, to put it another way: we are not saved apart from the law; rather we are saved by Jesus who perfectly kept the law on our behalf. So, when we find ourselves called onto the carpet of life, and justly accused of breaking a law, we don’t have to hope that the law gets ignored. We don’t have to hope that the law gets changed. We don’t have to hope that the law gets circumvented. We can know that the law has been placed on the shoulders of Another, and that he has been cast to the lions in our place. Daniel awoke the next morning without a scratch; saved by God. Jesus does one better: he was raised, victorious over sin and death — and not just for himself, but for us.

The law demands perfection–no “ifs, ands or buts.” The gospel is the good news announcing that Jesus has delivered perfection with no strings attached–no “ifs, ands, or buts.”

http://www.pastortullian.com/2014/06/25/to-see-the-law-by-christ-fulfilled/

the

Bethel News Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church

“To See The Law By Christ Fulfilled…”

J U L Y 2 0 1 4

Psalm 145

Church Information Fred Scragg……………………………………….…..……….Pastor Steve Geier………………………………..Administrative Assistant Erik Hagedorn………………………………..……..Music Director Ed & Debbie Fawcett…………………………….……...Caretakers

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.

Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be

praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.

On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works,

I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your

awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.

They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud

of your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all

that he has made.

2

THE BETHEL NEWS JULY 2014

<----------------------------------------TEEN VBS--------------------------------------->

<----------------------------------ROOSEVELT VBS----------------------------------->

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1

5:00 PM Youth Group:

Hangout

7:00 PM Young Men’s Bible Study

& BBQ

2

7:30 PM Bible Study @ Church

3

4

NO Youth Group

5

Brooklyn 5K Color Run

6

11:00 AM Worship

12:15 PM Call to Prayer

7

8


Hangout

9


10

11 12:00 PM

Youth Group:

Beach Day

12

13

11:00 AM Worship


14

15 10:00 AM

Youth Group: Central Park

7:00 PM

Young Men’s Bible Study

& BBQ

16


17

18

7:00 PM Youth Group: Water Games

19

20

11:00 AM Worship


21

22


Hangout

23


24

25


Movie Night

26

27 11:00 AM Worship & Fawcett Baptism


28

29 5:00 PM

Youth Group: Hangout

7:00 PM

Young Men’s Bible Study &

BBQ

30


31

Notes:

<----------------------------Teen Week Pastor Fred Away------------------------->

<----Teen Week---->

3


Youth Group News

Anniversaries

Birthdays

July 4th NO YOUTH GROUP

July 11th @ 12:00 PM

Beach Day $5

July 15th @ 10:00 AM Central Park Trip

$15

July 18th @ 7:00 PM Water Games

July 25th @ 6:00 PM

Movie Night $10

7/3 Rayna Kavanaugh 7/4 Danielle Ciappa 7/5 Tatum Calvagna 7/6 Dan Forland Sarah Witze

7/30 Milan & Cheryl Sivacek 7/31 Charles & Marion Milner

7/17 Yvonne Randazzo Kristina Scragg 7/22 Mike McNulty 7/23 Kaare Wick 7/29 Matt Stedjan

4


Upcoming Events Brooklyn 5K Color Run Saturday July 5th Join us for the Happiest 5K on the Planet. Come out and support our team as they complete the course at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field Park.

Teen VBS August 11th-15th @ 6:00 PM

All teens in 7th-12th grade are welcome to join us for 5 nights of games, crafts, snacks, music, and messages with our friends from other churches. This year we will be traveling to our sister church Bohemia

Church Work Day Saturday August 16th @ 8:00 AM Gather with us as we help to clean and beautify our church and properties. Speak with the Trustees for more information.

Weird Animals VBS

August 4th-8th @ 9:30 AM Join us on an epic adventure that teaches kids that Jesus’ Love is One-of-a-Kind.

Bible camp is for Pre-School kids (3 years old) through completed 6th grade. Volunteers are needed for all areas of service. Please contact Kristina Scragg to sign-up to help.

Registration is available online at Bethellb.com or in the church office.

Find Your Place Bethel Lutheran Brethren Church is a place for your entire family.

Children’s Church – 4 yrs-6th grade

(meets during Sunday morning service)

Boys Club – boys K-6th grade

Lamplighters – girls K-6th grade

Youth Group – teens 7th-12th grade

Prayer Group – 12:15 PM on Sundays

Bible Study – 7:30 PM @ Pastor Fred’s House

Leisure Timers - Luncheons for retirees

Check the calendar on page 2 to find out when your group

meets.


Address: 10 Pinetree Road, Huntington Station, NY 11746 Website: www.bethellb.com Email: [email protected] Phone: (631) 423-4404 Office Hours: M, T, F 9:00am-4pm; W 9:00-1:00pm Th 11:00 – 4:00pm

“You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.”

2 Timothy 3:15

For more information about our Nursery School program please contact the church office or send an email to [email protected]. Check out our new website http://bethelnurseryschool.weebly.com/ Classes available for 2, 3, and 4 year olds

the bethel news july 2014

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