Sellout

Then I said to them, "If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain." So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter" -- that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter. Zech 11:12-13

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him. Matt 26:14-16

You have to wonder if Judas knew his bible.  Most every Jewish boy was brought up memorizing the law and the prophets (quite unlike our schools today!).  I wonder if the scripture in Zechariah popped into Judas head when the priest uttered the words “thirty pieces of silver.”  Like that sinking feeling you get when you make a terrible decision, but you are not sure if you can face retreating from it. 

In the previous account of Mary anointing Jesus with spikenard, we see an act of true worship.  At about the same time, Judas also goes into action, except Judas was heading in a different direction altogether.

The contrast is stunning:  Mary showing her love and devotion in a way that was tremendously costly to her; Judas selling Jesus out for the price of a common slave.

Join us Sunday, as we look into the life of one disciple, Judas.


Pastor Clay

Worship at Bethany

What is Worship?
Songs we sing?  The 30 minutes of music before the teaching? A state of mind?  Do we have to bow?  Eyes open or closed?

When are we supposed to do it?
At church?  Home?  While driving? 

What is it supposed to do for us?

This week we are going to look at worship, perhaps from a different perspective.  We are going to look at worship from the perspective of a little known woman who lived more than two thousand years ago.  She only appears in the bible three times.  Three very brief appearances.  And yet in those three appearances, eleven verses in all, this woman speaks volumes to us about worship.

Join us Sunday as we examine Mary, and her worship at Bethany.

Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name when I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name
(Blessed be Your Name, Matt Redman)


Till the whole world hears...
Pastor Clay

The Millenial Kingdom

These last four sessions of our “The Last Days” series, Jesus has covered a lot of ground, but all of it has been centered on one major theme:  He is coming back! 

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day business of life, the struggles, the excitement, our plans for summer… the list goes on and on!  At the same time the nation looks with great interest to the economy, the political battles, and the next election cycle.  We fret about nukes in Iran, Russian hegemony, drug violence in Mexico. 

But rising above the 24 hour news cycle is a statement made two thousand years ago by the Lord Jesus Christ:

When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. (Matt 25:31)

As Christians we are called to be model citizens, and we should always stand for what is right.  We can work to maintain the freedoms that we enjoy in our country, held up as a beacon of hope to the rest of the world.

But we should always maintain, at the very center of our being, the core of our heart, that we are citizens of heaven, and that our true King, Jesus Christ, will return one day in a blaze of glory. He will defeat the enemies of God in one fell swoop.  He will chain the embodiment of evil, called Satan, and toss him in the slammer for one thousand years.

And He will sit on the throne of His glory, in the Holy City Jerusalem.  And we will be His people,  Amen!

Join us Sunday for the final installment of “The Last Days: The Millennial Kingdom”

Till the whole world hears...

Pastor Clay

Prayer for Children's Ministry

Dear CCW community, here is something I want you all to pray about.  My wife Tammy has overseen the Childrens ministry for the past several years (thank you babe!).  This May she is going to be moving to the Youth ministry, and we are believing the Lord is going to raise up a person or couple to lead the Children's ministry at CCW. 

I want you all to begin praying NOW that God would begin to stir the heart of the person/couple that He has already called to lead this important ministry!

We'll be talking more soon!

Pastor Clay

God's Love...

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

Aren't you glad the verse does not read:

• "For God so loved the rich..."?
• Or, "For God so loved the famous..."?
• Or, "For God so loved the beautiful..."?

It doesn't. Nor does it read, "For God so loved the Europeans or Africans..." "the sober or successful..." "the young or the old..."

No, when we read John 3:16, it simply says, "For God so loved the world."

Are you included in the world? Then you are included in God's love. God's love is just for you! Unfortunately, there are places where you are not quite as welcome. Universities exclude you if you aren't smart enough. Businesses exclude you if you aren't qualified enough, and, sadly, some churches exclude you if you aren't good enough.

But though they may exclude you, Christ includes you. When asked to describe the width of His love, He stretched one hand to the right and the other to the left and had them nailed in that position so you would know He died loving you. 

But you see, Jesus didn't just die.  Amazingly, there is more to the story.












Join us Sunday, as we celebrate Life... Resurrected!

Pastor Clay