Bethany Lutheran Church

Jesus’ first disciples heard of this rabbi from John the Baptizer and were instantly drawn to Jesus. Their response to Jesus’ call was to bring others to Jesus. What have you heard about Jesus? What has drawn you to Jesus? How is Jesus inviting you to tell others to “Come and see”? 

John first met Jesus when they were both in their mothers’ wombs. Yet, in the first chapter of John’s Gospel John the Baptizer has to come to grips with who he is and what his calling is in light of who Jesus is and what his calling is. Who are we as the people of God and what is our calling as we confess with John, “I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” John 1:19-34

How and why does God reveal himself to us? Is it through nature? Through dreams? Through an ancient book filled with wild and crazy stories? All of those questions could be answered with a maybe. But the Gospel of John gives us a clear and concise answer to how and why God reveals himself to us. The answer is Jesus; that we may meet him and come to believe that he is the Christ, the Son of Living God, and that we may have life in his name. John 1:1-14-18; 20:29-31

Last Sunday we got an image of how Satan messes with the harvest. In this parable he isn’t snatching the seed before he takes root he is sowing seeds of destruction  – weeds. Many times we wonder why God just doesn't just get rid of it all but to pull the weed is to pull out the wheat. So evil and good co-exist and grow together until the end when everything is finally sifted. This is why we are on guard but have hope.  1 Peter 5:8-11 (ESV)Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.Matthew 13:24-30 (ESV)He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Knowing Christ means we are in an all out war against the devil. We fight against sin and seek faithfulness not because we believe we can save ourselves but because Christ has saved us and we want to live faithfully and push back against anything and everything that would try to pull us away. 1 John 3:7-10 (ESV)Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.John 3:3-8 (ESV)Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Evil is not just a struggle with greed or lust; this is a spiritual struggle with spiritual forces at play. Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy, to undo what God has done. We see this with Job and we see this in so many ways in our own lives. However, no matter what Satan throws at us: loss, death, pain, etc. we know it is all temporary because Christ has ultimate victory.Job 1:6-12  (ESV)Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.John 10:7-11 (ESV)So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Satan is a creature and ultimately has no power. He is powerless in the presence of Christ but he isn’t something to be toyed with or underestimated. The name of Christ isn’t something to be used for fame, recognition, or some demonstration of  “magic”.Acts 19: 11-20 (ESV)The Sons of ScevaAnd God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.Mark 5:1-20 (ESV)Jesus Heals a Man with a DemonThey came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Evil is not just a struggle with greed or lust; this is a spiritual struggle with spiritual forces at play. Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy, to undo what God has done. We see this with Job and we see this in so many ways in our own lives. However, no matter what Satan throws at us: loss, death, pain, etc. we know it is all temporary because Christ has ultimate victory. Job 1:6-12 (ESV)Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.John 10:7-11 (ESV)So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

The last character we are looking at is Jesus. Jesus’ entire life was one of surrender to his Father’s will (John 5:19). As we get ready to enter into the season of Lent we are focusing on Jesus’ act of giving up control and how through his faithfulness to his Father’s will he brought life to all people. Jesus went to the cross for us. And because of that, we can now bear our cross with him.Luke 22:39-46And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”Matthew 16:24-28Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Before meeting Jesus, Paul had placed his identity before God and other people in things like his heritage, his religious activity, and career accolades. As people living 2,000 years later, we often fall into the same trap. What enabled Paul to let go of these things to the point that he could call them rubbish?! Join us as we begin to discover how can we let go of our worldly identities and begin to embrace our identity that comes by the way of Jesus’ cross. Philippians 3:1-11Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.Matthew 16:24-28Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

This is a fairly well-known Bible story that is used to teach us to focus on Jesus. But we don’t often address what is going on in our hearts that makes it so difficult for us to “choose the good portion” which is Jesus. Maybe we have placed our worth in the hustle and maybe Jesus is asking us to surrender the hustle of life to him as we follow him by way of his cross. Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”Matthew 16:24-28 (ESV)Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

King David was a man after God’s own heart. Yet, David had committed adultery and murder which had negative consequences ripple throughout his life and throughout the generations of descendants to come. How did King David continue to move forward after his great moral failures? How do we learn to let go of our past sins as we move forward in life? It’s only by the power of Jesus’ cross. Psalm 51 (ESV)Have mercy on me, O God,    according to your steadfast love;according to your abundant mercy    blot out my transgressions.Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,    and cleanse me from my sin!For I know my transgressions,    and my sin is ever before me.Against you, you only, have I sinned    and done what is evil in your sight,so that you may be justified in your words    and blameless in your judgment.Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,    and in sin did my mother conceive me.Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.Let me hear joy and gladness;    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.Hide your face from my sins,    and blot out all my iniquities.Create in me a clean heart, O God,    and renew a right spirit within me.Cast me not away from your presence,    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.Restore to me the joy of your salvation,    and uphold me with a willing spirit.Then I will teach transgressors your ways,    and sinners will return to you.Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,    O God of my salvation,    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.O Lord, open my lips,    and my mouth will declare your praise.For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;    build up the walls of Jerusalem;then will you delight in right sacrifices,    in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;    then bulls will be offered on your altar.Matthew 16:24-28  (ESV)Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Moses had been called by Yahweh to lead his people out of slavery into the Promised Land. Moses spent his life anticipating that day he would set his feet on the land Yahweh had promised him. Yet, with an outburst burst of frustration that dream was taken away. Nothing was guaranteed to Moses and yet we will see how Yahweh used Moses' disobedience to lead future generations to Jesus. It’s easy to fall into the same trap as Moses, expecting everything to work out as we planned. But when we begin to learn to let go of what we think is owed to us and follow Jesus by way of the cross we can begin to see ourselves in God’s larger story. Numbers 20:2-13 (ESV)Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.” Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him.Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy.Deuteronomy 34:4-6 (ESV)And the Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.” So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this day.Matthew 16:24-28 (ESV)Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Abram and Sarai had given up their dream of having a child. But then Abram received a promise from God that was meant to encourage them to walk in faithfulness to God’s plan. Yet, they took matters into their own hands and things quickly went south. We will often do whatever it takes to make sure our dreams become reality. But what if in this new year, God is inviting us to hold our hopes, desires, and dreams with open hands before the cross, trusting that through the cross Jesus alone can give us abundant life? Genesis 15:1-6 (ESV)After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.Matthew 16:24-28 (ESV)Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

We have all been formed by a world that tells us we can have whatever we want whenever we want it. Yet, many of us are left feeling empty and unsatisfied with the status quo. According to Jesus the way to true life is not through self-fulfillment but through self-denial as he calls us to pick up our cross and follow him. This week we kick off a new series where we will look at several key figures in the Bible and how they experienced true life through bearing their cross.Deuteronomy 13:4 (ESV)You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.Matthew 16:24-28 (ESV)Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Just like the people of ancient Israel we too wait for the coming of Christ. The season of Advent fixes our gaze into the future as we wait for Christ’s victorious second coming when he will make all things new, where everything sad will become untrue. Isaiah 65:17-25 (ESV)“For behold, I create new heavens    and a new earth,and the former things shall not be remembered    or come into mind.But be glad and rejoice forever    in that which I create;for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy,    and her people to be a gladness.I will rejoice in Jerusalem    and be glad in my people;no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping    and the cry of distress.No more shall there be in it    an infant who lives but a few days,    or an old man who does not fill out his days,for the young man shall die a hundred years old,    and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed.They shall build houses and inhabit them;    they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.They shall not build and another inhabit;    they shall not plant and another eat;for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,    and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.They shall not labor in vain    or bear children for calamity,for they shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord,    and their descendants with them.Before they call I will answer;    while they are yet speaking I will hear.The wolf and the lamb shall graze together;    the lion shall eat straw like the ox,    and dust shall be the serpent's food.They shall not hurt or destroy    in all my holy mountain,”says the Lord.Matthew 24:29-31 (ESV)“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

We live our lives in AD, in the year of the Lord. But as we begin the season of Advent we intentionally step back into BC, the time before Christ, with our brothers and sisters in the Old Testament. As we do this we seek to take on their posture as we remember what it would have been like to long for the first coming of the Messiah, the redeemer of Israel and of all nations. Jeremiah 23:5-8 (ESV)“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”Luke 4:16-21 (ESV)And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,    because he has anointed me    to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives    and recovering of sight to the blind,    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

We don’t talk much about speaking in tongues and it certainly isn’t something you see practiced but at the root of all worship practices and works of the spirit is a sense of good order that brings us together and make it clear to everyone what God is doing in our midst.1 Corinthians 14:1-12 (ESV)Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.Matthew 6:1-4 (ESV)“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.