Revelation 8 shows us what really happens when the trumpets sound: God’s partial, warning judgments shake every part of creation—land, sea, rivers, and skies—not to confuse His people, but to wake the world up. In this message, we trace the connections to Exodus, Sinai, and the Day of the Lord, and see how these “one-third” judgments expose the emptiness of Babylon’s promises and the spiritual powers behind corrupt empires. We’re invited to accept the terms of God’s covenant, recognize that His character and methods have never changed, and follow Jesus’ humble way as we wait for the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells.Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jix6jo0LhvR61p-LhrCcFKFoi-KnILlh/view?usp=sharing
Revelation 8 shows us what really happens when the trumpets sound: God’s partial, warning judgments shake every part of creation—land, sea, rivers, and skies—not to confuse His people, but to wake the world up. In this message, we trace the connections to Exodus, Sinai, and the Day of the Lord, and see how these “one-third” judgments expose the emptiness of Babylon’s promises and the spiritual powers behind corrupt empires. We’re invited to accept the terms of God’s covenant, recognize that His character and methods have never changed, and follow Jesus’ humble way as we wait for the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells.
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jix6jo0LhvR61p-LhrCcFKFoi-KnILlh/view?usp=sharing
***This message was cut short due to a network issue during a snowstorm***
Revelation 7–8:5 gives us a “pause” between the sixth and seventh seals, pulling back the curtain to show how God seals and secures His people in the middle of judgment. In this message, we look at the 144,000 and the innumerable multitude, the Lamb who shepherds and wipes away every tear, and the stunning scene where heaven falls silent and the prayers of the saints rise like incense before God.
“Ziplock Status” explores what it means to live visibly marked as the Lamb’s people, refuse Babylon’s story, and pray with confidence that our cries are folded into God’s rule over history.
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CoaV6yDqXz8ENBunnYnU2vjCvAhnxNof/view?usp=sharing
Revelation 6 opens the scroll and unveils the Lamb’s sovereign rule over history through the breaking of the seven seals. As the four horsemen ride out—conquest, war, famine, and death—we see the reality of the age between Jesus’ resurrection and return, the cry of the martyrs, and a sobering glimpse of final judgment. This message calls us to endure faithfully, reject the empty promises of “Babylon,” and walk in a new way of life marked by holiness, integrity, and hope in the Lamb alone.
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jBku5Gv-LdVOtdJcDwrxqFR-e7j0ahrJ/view?usp=sharing
In Revelation 4–5, John is given a glimpse into the throne room of heaven, where all creation worships the One on the throne and the Lamb who alone is worthy to open the scroll. In this message, we explore why Jesus is both the Lion of Judah and the slaughtered Lamb, how His sacrifice secures our place in God’s family, and what it means to declare our allegiance to Him over every rival kingdom. Watch as we consider our next steps in the kingdom of God and what it looks like to break ties with “Babylon” and live lives of true worship.Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16a_bLKQSc-R8eUfby5rz8a4ld36CEgqx/view?usp=sharing
Revelation 4:1–11 pulls back the curtain to the true center of reality: God’s throne. Thunder, lightning, living creatures, and elders casting crowns declare His holiness and authority over every rival power. This message calls us to become dissident disciples—shaped by heaven’s song—reordering our loves, habits, and allegiances around the Lamb in everyday life.Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Imcv020Z8qzm92G8-YGnNjKD4z7pxQQ4/view?usp=sharing
In Revelation 3:14–22, Jesus—the Amen and faithful witness—confronts Laodicea’s self-sufficiency and lukewarm faith, urging His church to exchange false wealth for refined gold, white garments, and true sight. This message calls us to assess our spiritual effectiveness, reject complacency, be zealous and repent, and open the door to fellowship with Christ. To the one who conquers, He promises a seat with Him on His throne.
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12kFbo4rbswXTNJUrcU6iYmqwo_aeHFkh/view?usp=sharing
One of our Elders, Mike Beard, shares a message on Jesus’ words to the church in Philadelphia. Commendation for faithful obedience despite limited strength, an open door no one can shut, and promises of protection, vindication, and a crown for those who hold fast. Mike highlights the call to endure with courage, trust Christ’s authority, and step through the doors He opens, receiving a new identity and permanence like a pillar in God’s temple.
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14v1F05WF-JzftjF8kiMSzGzAKrthfKJQ/view?usp=sharing
A church with a great name but no pulse: Jesus exposes dead reputation and calls Sardis to wake up, strengthen what remains, remember the gospel, keep it, and repent. He warns of sudden accountability and promises the faithful white garments, a secure name in the Book of Life, and acknowledgment before the Father. Stop leaning on image; return to vigilance and obedience.
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MdoPoWF_ngK7dscnImBXrkolbWKpKHko/view?usp=sharing
A letter to a hard-working church with a blind spot. Jesus commends Thyatira’s love, faith, service, and perseverance, yet confronts their tolerance of a seductive, self-appointed teacher “Jezebel” who pulls believers toward idolatry and sexual sin. The call is clear: repent, refuse harmful compromise, and hold fast to what is true. For those who endure, Jesus promises shared authority and “the morning star.”
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wb3Eb34-XFpP-g9ylE_jHZCoeYJH1LiG/view?usp=drive_link
Jesus asks three churches whose table they’re eating from. Smyrna is called to fearless faithfulness under suffering. Pergamum is warned to reject compromise with idol-feasts and sexual immorality. Thyatira is rebuked for tolerating destructive teaching. Conquerors receive the crown of life, hidden manna, a white stone with a new name, and the morning star.
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12d8n7m4vDIQbD237y0CYpzV3NeVD6kQH/view?usp=sharing
Jesus walks among his churches and calls Ephesus to return to their first love. In a world the Bible calls “Babylon,” disciples resist seduction not by mere activity but by affection for Christ. Revelation uses sharp contrasts—Lamb vs. Beast, Bride vs. Prostitute, New Jerusalem vs. Babylon—to expose disordered love, distorted teaching, corrupted worship, and compromised living. The call is simple and urgent: remember, repent, and redo the works of love.Practice this week:• Confess your sin.• Conquer your lusts and audit your loves.• Keep Christ’s commands by loving one another.
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T7bBS-3kFHmMkhsOI9jbHe4VqZ_35XTb/view?usp=sharing
When John turns to see the voice speaking to him, he encounters the risen Christ—majestic, holy, and near. This powerful vision reminds us that Jesus isn’t distant from His church; He walks among the lampstands. He sees, sustains, and strengthens His people.
Even when the world feels unstable, Jesus reigns as the Living One who conquered death and holds the keys of Hades.
🌐 Learn more: www.bethlehemchurch.cc
📝 Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xWfdu5zyrUoenD-ikpnEMEEzkzZhKZyl/view?usp=sharing
Revelation isn’t just about the future—it’s about seeing reality as it truly is. In this message, Pastor Matt unpacks the opening verses where Jesus reveals Himself as the Alpha and Omega, the One who rules history and holds the future. Revelation draws back the curtain on the spiritual battle, reminding us that even when the world feels chaotic, God is on the throne and Christ has already conquered.
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📝 Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jjXmXa7HkeWxPr92ERkWvb54LOgdbxlR/view?usp=sharing
Judges ends with a nation in chaos: “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Israel longed for a king, but even their best leaders failed. This message shows how Jesus, the Lion of Judah, is the true King who breaks the cycle of sin and establishes an eternal kingdom of justice and peace.
Scripture: Judges 21:25; 1 Samuel 8:19–20; Hebrews 7:14; Revelation 5:5 (CSB)
🌐 Connect with Bethlehem: www.bethlehemchurch.cc
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uMZ4wXRz4YiTU63gACp88riGdIEDQvlN/view?usp=sharing
The closing chapters of Judges are some of the darkest in all of Scripture. A horrific atrocity in Gibeah sparks civil war, leading Israel to the brink of wiping out one of its own tribes. What unfolds is not justice but chaos, not holiness but depravity. The people of God have become indistinguishable from Sodom itself.
In this message, Pastor Matt unpacks:
• The atrocity at Gibeah and its echo of Sodom (Judges 19)
• Israel’s civil war and the dangers of religious language without true submission to God (Judges 20)
• The tragic resolution that reveals Israel’s corruption (Judges 21)
Yet through all of it, the gospel hope shines through: while Israel rejected God’s kingship, we have a true and better King in Jesus Christ, the Lion of Judah, who gave His life willingly for His people.
For more from Bethlehem, visit www.bethlehemchurch.cc
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XnMZLeksuewy9QH8ZhXsiYSsakH4Whrb/view?usp=sharing
In Judges 17–18, we see Israel’s religious decline on full display through the story of Micah, his household idols, and the wandering Danites. What looks like worship is actually compromise—God’s name attached to man-made religion. This is the danger of syncretism: blending God’s truth with the world’s lies.
Pastor Matt unpacks how Israel’s “do what is right in your own eyes” mindset led to corruption at every level, from households to tribes. The result is a sobering reminder that sincerity in worship doesn’t equal obedience to God’s Word.
Key Themes:
• God’s will is always in line with God’s Word.
• Sinful motives corrupt even religious acts.
• God desires obedience, not impressiveness.
• Compromise in worship leads to spiritual decay.
📖 Judges 17–18 (CSB)
🙏 Have you given your life fully to Jesus? Today is the day. Instead of scheming, start praying. Instead of blending in with the world, set your heart fully on Him.
🌐 Learn more about Bethlehem: www.bethlehemchurch.cc
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rg1_16dYde7mtUoXPW0_Q31kMwlfEjJK/view?usp=sharing
The story of Samson is one of the Bible’s most well-known — and most tragic. Chosen by God before birth to begin delivering Israel from the Philistines, Samson’s life was marked by compromise, self-indulgence, and wasted potential. Yet even through his failures, God’s purposes were never thwarted.
In this message, we explore:
• The quiet but powerful faith of Samson’s mother
• The danger of compromise and temptation
• How God’s Spirit empowers His people for His mission
• The hope found in the greater Deliverer, Jesus Christ
No matter our failures, God’s purposes prevail — and His grace meets us where we are.
📖 Key Texts: Judges 13–16 (CSB)
For more from Bethlehem, visit www.bethlehemchurch.cc
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Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x7-QesV3vj7vl5fXXphqmH5mesjmJs7c/view?usp=drive_link
Jephthah’s story is one of rejection, redemption, and radical faith. In Judges 11–12, we see God raise up an unlikely leader to deliver His people—and a vow that would shape the rest of Jephthah’s life.
In this message, Pastor Matt unpacks one of the most debated passages in Judges, showing how Jephthah’s vow wasn’t about death but about full dedication to the Lord. Through this story, we’re reminded that purpose and contentment aren’t found in success or status, but in faithfully walking with God—even in life’s messiest moments.
🔗 Learn more about Bethlehem Church: www.bethlehemchurch.cc
Message Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/15iOdxcwnoVPRVpQo3G4HP1zihtG2f302/view?usp=sharing
Not every moment in God’s story is filled with dramatic miracles or epic battles. In Judges 10:1–5, we meet Tola and Jair—two little-known judges whose leadership brought peace and stability after a season of chaos. Their lives remind us that God is just as present in the quiet, ordinary seasons as He is in the extraordinary ones.
In this message, one of our church Elders, Mike Beard, shows us how God’s faithfulness is steady, even when it’s not loud, and how we, too, are called to live with faithful consistency in the everyday moments of life.
📖 Key Themes:
• God provides stability even in ordinary seasons.
• Faithfulness doesn’t require fame or dramatic acts.
• Serving God means being steady and consistent over the long haul.
Message Notes:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g6pFCEJhm6uQfSbz3u87xaLgYucMvwzn/view?usp=sharing