These podcasts are the captured pastor work in and around Bethany Lutheran Church in Alexandria, Virginia. Article 7 refers to part of the Augsburg Confession, one of the founding documents of the Lutheran Church, and it answers the question "what is a church?" The church is where God's gifts are given to the people, and that is what this podcast is all about - strengthening God's family with the gift of His Word.
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Andrew Jagow Podcasts
Pentecost was a day of miracles, including the miracle of understanding given to peopel who spoke many different languages but understood the proclamation of the Apostles. It was the opposite of the language confusion that took place at the Tower of Babel and it was the beginning of a great sending of the church to every tribe, nation and tounge. I…
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Before a rocket launch, there is a great deal of preparation and just before there is a series of final systems checks. In this sermon from Bethany Lutheran's Ascension Sunday, I am connecting that image with the Apostles who waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit. This episode also features special music from Linda and Lindsay Hemphill.…
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This holiday podcast includes music from many of Bethany's choirs recorded during the Advent and Christmas seasons, with special thanks to Linda Hemphill our Music Director and "Team Roadie" our sound board operators who have been providing some very good material for me to share! I pray the readings and music in this podcast helps you to celebrate…
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This podcast was recorded in the summer of 2021 after Bethany Lutheran finished a challenging season for our children's choirs. At the start, I'll talk a bit about the name of this podcast and how it relates to what I am thinking about for the future of our church during and after the current pandemic. The sermon and the song after are all about Da…
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In the introduction, I share some news about worship at Bethany in Alexandria, Virginia for the summer of 2021. There are also a few facts about Daniel before the sermon that was recorded on June 6. At the end, enjoy getting your "Marching Orders" from organist, Linda Hemphill.By Andrew W. Jagow
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31 sermons later, I got to finally say "the end"! Except that it is not really the end because there is so much of "The Story" that we are a part of right now, and even more that is "not yet." It is better to say "Amen!" It shall be so! This podcast includes the final sermon in the spiritual growth series called "The Story" as well as a special Mot…
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The second last chapter of "The Story" gives us some encouragement from the Apostle Paul to Timothy. As a church, we heard this while going through our pandemic self-quarantine when most of our members were worshiping at home. The music at the end is J.S. Bach's "Sheep Will Safely Graze" played by Linda and Lindsay Hemphill.…
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This chapter of "The Story" is all about the missionary journeys of Paul. The sermon zooms in on Philippi where the the church starts with a merchant, a slave girl and a jailer's family. This gives us a glimpse of how the Body of Christ comes together and is sent out by the power of the Holy Spirit. The music in this podcast is performed by the pra…
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Chapter 28 of "The Story" takes us to the birth of the church after the Resurrection of Jesus. The title of my sermon is "They Never Stopped". At the time this was preached (one year ago) we were learning terms like "lock down" and "social distance" and dealing with the fact that the church could not hold public worship. Still, "we never stopped" t…
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One year ago, I was wondering what would become of Easter during quarantine! As I continue to collect the remaining sermons of "The Story" for this podcast, I reflect a little on how things have changed over this past year. The sermon from Easter Sunday latches onto two phrases in the Gospel of Matthew and "The Story" chapter 27. Finally, listen to…
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At the Last Supper, a cup is passed after Jesus says words of blessing and then pronounces, "This is my blood of the new covenant…". Later, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prays that "this cup" may be taken away. Cups are used in different ways throughout the Bible, and in this chapter, we see a cup of blessing and a cup of wrath. Both are signi…
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"The Story" reaches a climax with God's decisive action to overcome our sinful nature and even death itself. The sermon on this podcast was preached one year ago when we only had a small group in church broadcasting online. You will hear some of what we were all going through, including our (no) communion practices at the time. There is also a hymn…
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This podcast collects some of the readings and music you are likely to hear at Bethany Lutheran around Christmas time. Merry Christmas! And my God bless us, every one.By Andrew W. Jagow
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"You are the messiah," Peter confesses. What is a messiah? The title connects us to the kingdoms of David and Solomon and the expectation of God's people to be saved from their enemies. People in the days of Jesus debated what signs to look for to know that God has sent the Messiah. As Jesus approaches the end of His earthly mission, He gives a sig…
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Powerful words and powerful miracles astonish those around Jesus of Nazareth in chapter 24 of "The Story". Jesus gives the greatest commandment, He finds the lost, He silences the wind with a word, and beats back the devil's hold on this world by banishing demons, sicknesses and blindness. Then there comes the moment when one of His disciples is si…
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Water is very prevalent in chapter 23 of "The Story". We begin with the ministry of John the Baptist by the Jordan River and then water is turned to wine at a wedding, and that is followed with a discussion about being born again through "water and the Spirit." Where is all this water leading us? Jesus discusses "Living Water" at a well in Samaria …
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This sermon was recorded at a special "Christmas in the Spring" service where we marked God's entrance into "The Story" with chapter 22. The mission of Jesus includes adopting us into His family and that gives us something to celebrate! Going with the "Christmas" theme, C2W (Created 2 Worship) offers the instrumental "I Wonder as I Wander."…
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"He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given." – Ezra 7:6 "Let us start rebuilding!" – Nehemiah 2:18 God provides for the exiles who were returning from the east. Two men who were instrumental in rebuilding – one, a person who was an effective and canny leader who helped to defend the Jews from the…
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The year 2020 has not been good for podcasting, so far, but this sermon I felt I had to get out because I feel it is an important message. Do you belong at our church? Who are the little ones in Matthew 18? Listen to the sermon from this past Labor Day weekend along with music from our Summer Singers performing "Teach Me, O Lord, the Way of Thy Sta…
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"…who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" – Esther 4:14 (ESV) "And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration" – Esther 8:15 (NIV) There are quite a few banquets in the book of Esther, but no mention of God's name. This story takes place in the city of Susa, which was very far away from Jerusalem. God's name is …
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A Persian king decrees that the way home is open to the exiles. Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the High Priest go with the first group, and the foundation for the Temple is laid so that the house of God may be rebuilt. At an assembly of celebration, there were shouts of praise, but also tears of sorrow among those who remembered what was lost. …
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Daniel is among the exiles in Babylon who were chosen as advisers to the king. Like his ancestor, Joseph, he stands out for the wisdom and insight God gives to him. Through Daniel and three of his fellow exiles, the kings who sit on the throne in Babylon come to understand who is real ruler who has given them their authority. God's power is shown t…
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"By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion" – Psalm 139:1 "Son of man, can these bones live?" – Ezekiel 37:3 In chapter 17 of "The Story", the scenes shift between the prophet Jeremiah who bears witness to the last days of Jerusalem from within the city walls, and the prophet Ezekiel who is among the exiles in Ba…
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The Eighth Century B.C. closes with the destruction of the northern tribes at the hands of the Assyrians. The southern tribes need faithful leadership and a clear Word from God to avoid the same destruction. Who will God send? Enter one of the greatest of the writing prophets, whose message of power and comfort to the people of Judah gave them hope…
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The northern tribes have turned away from The Lord, led by a series of kings who "did evil" and aroused God's anger. God raises two messengers, Elijah and Elisha. Through the ministry of these two prophets, God wants to turn the hearts of His people back to Him. Elijah is first, and after his time is through, he is succeeded by Elisha, who asks for…
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We have read about prophets in the previous chapters of "The Story," but going forward, they begin to play a far more central role. When the nation of Abraham's ancestors splits in two, the northern tribes are led into idolatry by their king. God answers by sending someone "by the Word of the Lord." Will the Word bring people back to faith or will …
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"The Lord appeared to Solomon." That phrase is repeated a few times through chapter 13 of "The Story". God appears to give Solomon wisdom, and then the glory of the Lord appears when the Temple in Jerusalem is dedicated. And then there is one last time as God speaks after Solomon "turns his heart" away from The Lord. As we prepare to celebrate the …
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In chapter 12 of "The Story" a king covets, and that leads to adultery and murder. Is this still the an that is after God's own heart? Or will God turn away from David like He did King Saul? In this chapter, we discover one of the greatest gifts that we receive from God: FORGIVENESS.By Andrew W. Jagow
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God finds a new king by looking into the heart of the youngest son of Jesse, who was tending the sheep when God sent Samuel to anoint the one God would choose. This is the story of the first kings of Israel and it foreshadows God's great plan of salvation. Last week, we read about a king who turned his heart away from God. This week, we see that Go…
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"Give us a king." the people say. This points the way to the time when God would send the ultimate King to save His people once and for all. It begins well with the new king able to assemble the whole nation to repel their enemies. Like some servants before, God calls the person from the smallest and least to do His will. But once this person is gi…
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The story of Ruth is both simple and complicated at the same time. It is a simple story about a bond of love that brought a foreign woman into the tribe of Judah. But it is also covers some complicated points of the covenant law during a time when fidelity to God was hard to find. But through one family's faithfulness, we get a great foreshadowing …
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Samson's last words make for a fitting title to this week's chapter of "The Story". In this chapter, the people of Israel time and time again forget the covenant God had made with them so that they would be a kingdom of priests and a holy people. Foreign powers invade and only then do to the tribes remember that they have sinned and need God's help…
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As a promise passed on through centuries, the land that God showed to Abraham is now before the tribes of Israel. After the previous generation dies in the wilderness and Moses says his final words, it is time for Joshua and the Israelites to inherit that land. As they enter, God repeats His promises to Joshua, saying "I will never leave you or for…
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We begin on Mt. Sinai where God thunders on the mountain and the people shrink back in fear. No one can approach God's terrible power and the radiance of His glory, except for Moses, who was chosen to receive the words God sends to His people. But on the mountain God calls His people a "kingdom of priests" and a "holy nation" and gives instructions…
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After Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, you would expect the rest of "The Story" to unfold in the land God promised to them and their descendants. But, in chapter three, we go from Caanan to Egypt and the road there is filled with a series of misfortunes for Jacob's son, Joseph. But because God's hand is in all of Joseph's life, there can be a reconciliati…
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Abraham and Sarah journey from their home to the place that God promises to them and to their descendants. It is a journey of faith, both because of the physical travel involved, and also because of the way God keeps them on the right spiritual path. Many centuries later, the Apostle Paul writes, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so b…
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At Bethany's Rally Day service for 2019, we introduced "The Story" - a program to read through the Bible. In the book of Genesis, we see the phrase "these are the generations" repeated. This connects well to our dedication to read and pass on God's Word so that "One generation" can "commend your works to another, and ...declare your mighty acts." (…
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"Who are you people?" God's people were meant to be a nation built on love toward God and one another. Kindness and mercy was built into the fabric of their lives by the covenant God gave through Moses. But through the centuries, sinful greed and selfishness permeated the nation. The society that Amos of Tekoa was sent to preach to was apparently n…
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In the second of three "Kingdom Talks", I preach about "Kingdom Glory" based on 1 Timothy 1:12-17. God has acted in Paul's life, so as he writes to his former travel partner, he expresses with joy how God has given him strength and has given so much grace that it has overflowed into his life. That leads to an expression of praise, similar to when D…
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Church budgets are based on faith and the work of the Holy Spirit as much as they are on math and organizational objectives. That adds a certain supernatural element to church budgeting that drives most pastors and volunteers absolutely nuts while God and His angels (I'm sure) smile at us. In Luke 14:28 Jesus says to the great crowds who are follow…
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In Hebrews 11:1, we read that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen." The prophet Jeremiah held to his faith, convinced that the words of future judgment on Jerusalem were the true Word of God. The trouble was, there were so many other voices at the time that were giving a false testimony about God and a …
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"Faith is the assurance of things hoped for…". If I were able to talk to the writer of Hebrews, today, I might challenge that person and ask why Abraham and Sarah are said to have had faith in what they hoped for without any mention of the redirection they had to receive from God along the way. But, looking again at Hebrews chapter 11, I think I ca…
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We will reap in due time if we do not give up! Paul gives us many reasons for not giving up all through the letter to the Galatians. In our last trip to this little garden in Galatians, we'll revisit how Paul connects the Kingdom of God to God's creation and all the ways we may reap the good that is sown by the power of the Holy Spirit.…
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A second walk through Paul's Galatians garden brings us to the fruit that grows by the power of the Holy Spirit. As an added musical bonus, Linda and Lindsay Hemphill offer a beautiful rendition of "America, The Beautiful" - a song that is quoted throughout the sermon.
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Happy Summer! The Article 7 Podcast is back, again with three early summer sermons from a series preached at Bethany Lutheran Church and Preschool. This is a different look at Galatians for me as I noticed that there were a few agricultural connections that Paul makes, using language similar to other parts of the Bible. So, come and plant yourself …
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Another five meditations are offered in this special holiday Podcast. This time, hear five Christmas Carols recorded live at Bethany Lutheran's Christmas and Advent services along with a little information about each carol. Merry Christmas!By Andrew W. Jagow
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It has been a while, hasn't it? Well, the Article 7 podcast is back with a special Christmas gift for you. Normally, I share my sermons in this podcast, but this special episode is filled with readings and music to get you ready for the Christmas celebrations to come. The music you will hear was recorded at Bethany Lutheran Church during Advent and…
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Hello! It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, it is time to podcast again, especially since our Easter celebration at Bethany Lutheran was so joyful, this year. In this special episode of the podcast, you will hear all our choirs combine on a "Canon of Praise for Easter Morning" and then something unexpected. A rendition of "Dry Bones" from a special …
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The Easter worship at Bethany Lutheran continues with the Praise Ringers, Bethany Singers, Bethany Brass and more congregational singing. Part two of the Easter sermon is also here as once again we proclaim the Good News that Christ is risen!
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Christ is risen! Hear some of the Easter celebration in word and song from Bethany Lutheran Church in Alexandria, Virginia. This podcast has music from the Bethany Singers, Bethany Brass as well as some singing by the congregation. The first part of the Easter sermon is here, as well. Part two will be in the next podcast along with even more music …
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