Sermons from Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Spokane, Washington

Sermon 10/12/09

2009-10-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

"What is holding me back from following Jesus?" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 10/11/09

Texts: Amos 5:6-7, 10-15, Psalm 90:12-17, Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark 10:17-31 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_10_11.mp3

Sermon 9/6/09

2009-09-06T11:44:00.001-07:00

"Reframing James: Faith without works is alright for you, but it's no good for your neighbor" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 9/6/09

Texts: Isaiah 35:4-7, James 2:1-17, Mark 7:24-37 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_09_06.mp3

I tell a story from the Churchwide Assembly in this sermon that I wrote in parable form on my blog.

Sermon 8/30/09

2009-08-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

"Forget the rules you think you know" by Jon Zemke

Preached: 8/30/09

Texts: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9, James 1:17-27, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_09_08_30.mp3

Sermon 8/9/09

2009-08-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

"Being one body of Christ for the sake of the world" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 8/9/09

Texts: 1 Kings 19:4-8, Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2, John 6:35, 41-51 (click to listen)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_08_09.mp3

Click here to follow along with the Churchwide Assembly (August 17-23) via live video and news updates. I'll be blogging (hopefully) from the Assembly which you can read here.

Sermon 8/2/09

2009-08-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

"Ask not what Jesus can do for you..." by Jon Zemke

Preached 8/2/09

Texts: Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15, Ephesians 4:1-16, John 6:24-35 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_8_2.mp3

Sermon 7/12/09

2009-07-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

"UnChristian?" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 7/12/09

Texts: Amos 7:7-15, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29 (click to read)

Click to listen:BLC_2009_07_12.mp3

I mention a book entitled "UnChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity ... and Why It Matters." You can find it for sale here.

Sermon 7/5/09

2009-07-05T13:26:00.001-07:00

"What a friend we have in Jesus--a friend who turns the world upside down" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 7/5/09

Texts: Ezekiel 2:1-5, 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, Mark 6:1-13 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_07_05.mp3

In this sermon we had some "play along at home time" with a survey. You can see the survey here. What do you think? Send your answers to us and we'll include them in the results. The latest results can be found here, and will be updated as we get more feedback. If you missed the meeting I mention, you can read about it here.

If you didn't recognize the second song I sung, check out this video.

Sermon 6/28/09

2009-06-28T13:41:00.000-07:00

"Getting the boats back in the water and getting back to the task at hand" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 6/28/09

Texts: 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Mark 5:21-43 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_06_28.mp3

Sermon 6/21/09

2009-06-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

"Surviving the storm in a little boat" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 6/21/09

Texts: Job 38:1-11, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Mark 4:35-41 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_06_21.mp3

Sermon 6/14/09

2009-06-14T12:58:00.001-07:00

"Two parables about what God is up to in the world" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 6/14/09

Texts: 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13, 2 Corinthians 5:6-17,Mark 4:26-34 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_06_14.mp3

Sermon 6/07/09

2009-06-07T13:01:00.000-07:00

"God so loved the world that he gave" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 6/7/09

Texts: Isaiah 6:1-8, Romans 8:12-17, John 3:1-17 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_06_07.mp3

Sermon 5/31/09

2009-05-31T14:45:00.000-07:00

"The Holy Spirit is calling us to do a new thing together" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 5/31/09

Texts: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Acts 2:1-21, John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_05_31.mp3

The audio is a bit goofy again. I turned the volume up on the speakers since we have the windows open--and I think that's the problem. I'll fiddle around and hopefully it will be back to normal next week. Bear with it for this one, I think the sermon is worth the annoying audio.

Sermon 5/24/09

2009-05-24T14:53:00.000-07:00

"Experiencing the presence of God in our wilderness" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 5/24/09

Texts: Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_05_24.mp3

Sermon 5/17/09

2009-05-17T14:50:00.000-07:00

"Abiding in the love of Jesus" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 5/17/09

Texts: Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98, 1 John 5:1-6, John 15:9-17 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_05_17.mp3

Sermon 5/10/09

2009-05-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

"Crossing boundaries for the sake of love" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 5/10/09

Texts: Acts 8:26-40, Psalm 22:25-31, 1 John 4:7-21, John 15:1-8 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_05_10.mp3

Sermon 5/3/09

2009-05-03T11:07:00.000-07:00

"Sermon for Synod Assembly Sunday" by Rev. Martin Wells, bishop of the Eastern Washington Idaho Synod (read by John Beck)

Preached 5/3/09

Texts: Acts 4:5-12, Psalm 23, 1 John 3:16-24, John 10:11-18 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_05_03.mp3

Sermon 4/26/09

2009-04-26T15:40:00.000-07:00

"Why is it so hard to see Jesus when he shows up?" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 4/26/09

Texts: Acts 3:12-19, Psalm 4, 1 John 3:1-7, Luke 24:36b-48 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_04_26.mp3

Sermon 4/19/09

2009-04-19T15:35:00.000-07:00

"The wounded one" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 4/19/09

Texts: Acts 4:32-35, Psalm 133, 1 John 1:1 - 2:2, John 20:19-31 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_04_19.mp3

This recording started a little late. I started by saying how I have always connected to Thomas' doubting, and always want to cut him some slack. But this time around, I'm asking a different question that's not so much about his doubting, but about connecting to Jesus' woundedness.

Sermon 4/12/09

2009-04-12T12:52:00.000-07:00

"We may not have it all together, but together we have it all" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached Easter Sunday 4/12/09

Texts: Acts 10:34-43, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, I Corinthians 15:1-11, Mark 16:1-8 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_04_12.mp3

In the sermon I mention a book "Salvation on the Small Screen: 24 Hours of Christian Television" by Nadia Bolz-Weber. It is fantastic, I highly recommend it. You can find it here.

Laura Filardo pained a series of five paintings for our worship today, which are displayed across the front of our worship space, and which I talk about in the sermon.

Sermon 4/5/09

2009-04-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

"The Passion of Jesus According to Mark" by Steve Zemke

For our Palm/Passion Sunday worship, Steve Zemke proclaimed (from memory) the story of Jesus from his entry into Jerusalem (the Palm Sunday story) through the crucifixion and laying Jesus in the tomb (Mark 11-15). Steve has the entire Gospel of Mark (and a few other books of the Bible) memorized. The hymn after this was "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?" It was a powerful morning. The video hardly does it justice. You can make it full screen by clicking what looks like four outward pointing arrows in the controls.

Click to listen: BLC_2009_04_05.mp3

The Passion of Jesus According to Mark from Erik Samuelson on Vimeo

Sermon 3/29/09

2009-03-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

"Finding purpose with Avenue Q, my friend Don, and Jesus" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Texts: Jeremiah 31:31-34, Psalm 51:1-12, Hebrews 5:5-10, John 12:20-33 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_03_29.mp3

In this sermon I reference (and sing from) a musical called "Avenue Q". You can learn more about it here. DISCLAIMER: Not for the easily offended (or even moderately easily offended). This musical is meant to be offensive to pretty much everybody (and it is)--but it's got a great underlying message. I sang pretty much the only "appropriate for church" part of it during the sermon and made the plot line PG (it's really R+). So click to learn more only at your own risk.

My friend Don's blog (which I also talk about in the sermon) can be found here. (Also not for the easily offended)

Sermon 3/22/09

2009-03-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

"MEDICAL ALERT! All you sin-bitten people, look up to the cross and live! " by Rev. Gary Moore

Preached 3/22/09

Texts: Numbers 21:4-9, Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22, Ephesians 2:1-10, John 3:14-21 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_03_22.mp3

Sermon 3/15/09

2009-03-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

"Jesus has turned our tables over" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 3/15/09

Texts: Exodus 20:1-17, Psalm 19, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, John 2:13-22 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_03_15.mp3

Sermon 3/8/09

2009-03-08T16:15:00.000-07:00

"Puting behind and taking up" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 3/8/09

Texts: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16, Psalm 22:23-31,Romans 4:13-25, Mark 8:31-38 (click to read)

Click to listen: BLC_2009_03_08.mp3

The audio has its moments again. I'm thinking we might need a new wireless mic. I'll keep fiddling, its not as bad as some of the other bad recordings--only the first few minutes. Sorry!

This is an interactive sermon. You'll need a paper and a pen to play along at home. Please email me your responses, and I'll add them to our list. Click here to read what our congregation came up with. I realized later I should have said "put behind" rather than "get behind" through the whole thing. Just hear the word "put" rather than "get".

Sermon 3/1/09

2009-03-01T10:27:00.000-08:00

"Jesus' temptation journey" by Rev. Erik Samuelson

Preached 3/1/09

Texts: Genesis 9:8-17, Psalm 25:1-10, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 1:9-15 (click to read)

Ok, so the sermon didn't record this week, but not because of technical error. This was 100% user error (by me). I forgot to reconnect the recorder after downloading last week's sermon. Sorry friends! I'll get my act together this week.