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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8
August 2021 VOL. 11 NO. 8
SERMONS THEMES & READINGS - 2
SCHOOL NEWS - 3
LAND OF OZ - 4
YOUTH & CHILDREN - 4
OUTREACH MINISTRIES - 5
INREACH MINISTRIES - 6
BIBLE STUDIES - 7
NEWS– 8, 9
CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY - 10
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES - 11
A Pu b l i c a t i o n o f B e t h l eh em Lu t h er a n C h u r c h - A l o h a , O R
OUTLINES OF JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
This is an excerpt from “The Christ Key: Unlocking the Centrality of Christ in the Old Testament” by Chad Bird (1517 Publishing, 2021).
By the time we are introduced to Noah in Genesis, God’s good creation has gone rogue. Adam and Eve rebel in Genesis 3. Cain murders Abel in Genesis 4. And Noah is introduced in Genesis 5, where the litany of “and so- and-so died” tolls over and over like a funeral bell summoning mourners. Things are so bad that “the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth” (Gen 6:6). And you can’t get any worse than that.
A reboot of creation is needed. And there’s only one man for the job: Noah, who “found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen 6:8). “On this thread hangs the whole world,” as W. Vischer wrote. Indeed. Were we watching a play, Noah alone would stand on stage. All eyes are now on him, as all eyes were once on Adam.
His birth announcement both backshadows and foreshadows his importance. His father, Lamech, gives him the name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground [adamah] that the Lord has cursed [arar], this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil [itztzavon] of our hands” (Gen 5:29). The three Hebrew roots for “ground,” “cursed,” and “work” also occur in Genesis 3:17, when God tells Adam, “Cursed [arar] is the ground [adamah] because of you; in pain [itztzavon] you shall eat of it all the days of your life.” Lamech is purposefully parroting God’s speech to Adam. As such, Lamech is the first typologist in Scripture.
We are not told why this father was so certain that his newborn son was going to bring relief to the world— perhaps because, if you do the math, Noah is the first recorded birth after the death of Adam—but that he thought so is certain. Lamech thinks that Noah will be Adam #2, only a much better one.
His nativity therefore backshadows (to Adam) and foreshadows (to his work of bringing relief).
What happens next? The ark building, the animal gathering, the deluge pouring. God rewinds creation to the beginning, when “the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep” (Gen. 1:2). The ark floats over the face of the waters as the Spirit once hovered there. The waters eventually dry up “in the first month, the first day of the month” (Gen. 8:13). A new year for a new genesis. Noah and his family, flanked by animals, disembark into a purged creation, mirroring Adam and Eve when they were surrounded by animals in Eden. Philo, a first- century Jewish philosopher, rightly notes that Noah “is the beginning of our race and the end—end of all things before the flood, beginning of all afterward” (On Abraham 46).
(Continued on page 2)
Inside This Issue
Bethlehem Mission Statement
“Building the family of God through
relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Written By Chad Bird
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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8
In his speech to this second Adam, God begins by blessing Noah and his sons (Gen. 9:1), as he blessed Adam and Eve (1:28). Then he repeats the command, verbatim, that he gave to the first couple, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Gen. 9:1; 1:28). As if this weren’t enough for us to connect Adam to Noah, the Lord supplies one more clue. To Adam and Eve he said, “Behold, I have given you every plant” (Gen. 1:29). Now, to Noah and his sons, he says, “As I gave you the green plants, I give you everything” (Gen. 9:3). That little word “as” explicitly joins the two passages.
Genesis, therefore, pictures the days of Noah as a time of renewal. A fresh start.
Many generations later, the prophet Isaiah perceived this same truth about Noah. So, as often happens in the prophets, he wove a story from the Torah into his preaching. Following his detailed description of the suffering of Christ in chapter 53, Isaiah depicts the resurgence of joy among God’s people as a result. They sing! They rejoice! Though divine anger struck them “for a brief moment” (54:7), with “everlasting love” he will have compassion on them (54:8). To picture this, God says through Isaiah, “This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed” (54:9– 10).
Just as the flood was temporary, so was God’s anger. Just as God swore never to flood the earth again, so because of the work of the Messiah, God will never be angry with his people. And just as the Lord made a covenant with Noah after the flood, so he makes a new covenant of peace with his people. Isaiah, therefore, interprets the story of Noah and the flood as a paradigm for the work of his Servant.
This is an instructive example; it shows us that reading the Torah as a book about the Messiah did not begin in the NT but was practiced already in the prophets.
Building on this ancient layering of Adam-Noah-Messiah, Jesus compared his second coming to the days of Noah (Matt. 24:37). The original flood, which foreshadowed the temporary flood of anger at the time of the Messiah’s coming (Isa. 54:7– 9), also pointed toward the final flood of judgment when the Messiah returns (Matt. 24:38– 39). The implication is that just as those with Noah were saved, so those with Jesus will be rescued. Peter confirms this analogy when he says that just as a flood of water once destroyed the earth, so a flood of fire is coming (2 Pet. 3:5–7) . But just as Noah “constructed an ark for the saving of his household” (Heb. 11:7), “in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water . . . baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you” (1 Pet. 3:20– 21).
Baptism places us into the ark of the church— that is, the ark of the body of Christ— so that we are saved now, and will be saved from the final judgment.
When we read about Noah, therefore, we are reading backward to Adam and forward to Jesus. As Noah was Adam #2, so Jesus was both Adam #3 and Noah #2.
Their lives and deeds are intertwined in this unfolding drama of redemption. Both Adam and Noah pointed forward to the goal or telos in the Messiah. To read about them is to read about Jesus.
This is an excerpt from “The Christ Key: Unlocking the Centrality of Christ in the Old Testament” by Chad Bird (1517 Publishing, 2021), pgs. 48-51.
Taken from Pencil Sketches: How Old Testament Individuals Outlined the… | 1517
(Continued from page 1)
OUTLINES OF JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
August 1
Tenth Sunday After Pentecost John
Psalm 145:10-21 Mark 1:14-20 1 John 4:7-11 John 20:1-8
August 8
Eleventh Sunday After Pentecost Mary/Martha Psalm 34:1-9 Luke 10:38-42 John 11:17-34
August 15
Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost Disciples on the Road to Emmaus
Psalm 34:10-22 Luke 24:13-35
August 22
Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost Bartimaeus
Psalm 14 Mark 10:46-52
August 29
Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost Paul
AUGUST Readings
& Themes
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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8
Our enrollment is continuing to look good for next year it is looking very promising that we will have two 3-year-old preschool classes and two 4-year-old PreK classes. We still have some spots left though so if you know of someone who is looking for a 3-year-old preschool or 4-year-old PreKindergarten program? Did you know that word of mouth is the best way to advertise?
Our preschool still has open spots available in both programs. To qualify students must be 3 or 4 by September 1st and potty trained. For more information or tour please contact Miss Mary or Laiva Hoffman at 503-649-3380, [email protected], or visit the website at blpaloha.wordpress.com. We have registration online!
PRESCHOOL NEWS
Bethlehem Lutheran Preschool
503.649.3380
blpaloha.com
18865 SW Johnson St
Aloha, OR 97003
Forest Hills Lutheran Christian School
503.359.4853
www.fhls.org
4221 SW Golf Course Rd
Cornelius, OR 97113
School News
FOREST HILLS NEWS
Written By Laiva Hoffman, Director
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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8
Dear Bethlehem,
Where is the good in this year? Where is the joy?
For me- we’ve had in person youth since June! That’s awesome! This year I have Bible study in person
with friends. Didn’t get to do that last year much at all. Soon there will be a youth trip and VBS- I’m not going to lie- the details for these after being out of the game for the last two years are giving me anxiety, but praise God we get to do these events! We’re still a bit unsettled, still a bit in the not yet stage where not everything is normal. But maybe for you you’ve had extra time with family. I have. I get to spend time with a niece who’s a mere two months old and she doesn’t seem to concerned about the weight of the world right now and my worry kind of disappears around her. These are things to celebrate.
But maybe there is good is in knowing that things aren’t quite right. Perhaps before we were a little complacent in thinking that earth was our home and we lived in a United State of America- everything was pretty convenient and comfortable. It’s easy to get complacent in one’s life and especially one’s spiritual life when things seem to be going smoothly. Now we have to fight for our little joys as nothing is going according to
ENJOY THE DISAPPOINTMENT
YOUTH & CHILDREN NEWS
Youth & Children
Youth: 15 youth head to Camp Lutherwood the first week in August! Please keep them all in prayer that they might be safe, kind, and have a blast as they learn about Jesus! Many of them are heading away from home for the first time.
VBS: Kids come join the fun at Rocky Railroad VBS! August 16th-20th from 9:30-10:30am. Sign your kids up at https://blcfamily.org/vbs/ We will be learning about Jesus power singing fun songs to praise God, learning Bible stories, taking home crafts and helping out Lanora and her family who were hurt by the fires last year in Oregon. We are in need of crew leaders, registration folks, a photographer, and more for our VBS! Let Eric know if you’re interested in being a part! There will be trainings Sunday August 8th at 9:45am and August 11th at 7pm both in the community center.
our plan. My quote for the year has been to “enjoy the disappointment.” Nope things won’t go quite right. But we have a God who makes all things new and has something better in mind for us than this.
This reminds me of Jesus words in John 16, “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” I don’t know about you but I’ve been praying a lot more lately about those things I can’t control. To think that some day that will no longer be an issue for God will have taken care of it all is a huge joy. And I suppose in a sense that’s true now too. God provides what we need for each day- it’s just hard to see it sometimes. Jesus later says in that same chapter: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Take heart! Jesus has overcome the world! He will overcome our sin, our anxiety, and our fear and leave us with eternal joy.
God bless,
Eric Oswald DCE
Written By Eric Oswald, DCE
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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8 Outreach
The LWML group is planning to meet in September again, so please watch for information. Many have asked whether we will have a fall sale and we do hope to. So if you make items for the sale, please get them ready. So much depends on what Covid does.
The quilters are busy putting quilts together and this week we purchased more rolls of batting, so we are set with that for probably two years. A Thrivent Action Grant was used to pay for over half of it.
We can always use more helpers, if you are interested, just stop in the Sonrise Room on Monday mornings and see if this is something you would like
to help with.
LWML AND QUILTERS
LOVE, INC BOARD INTERVIEWS This month our series of interviews with our board members continues. Next up is our new President, Jack Burgess. Q: How did you become involved with Love INC? A: For the longest time I wanted to help the less fortunate. I was looking for some way of helping my "neighbors in need" when Judy Guy asked me to go to Northwest Children's Outreach to pick up bags of items for the Love Bugs Gap Ministry of Singing Hills Christian Church. I joined Love INC as a volunteer a few months later. Soon, a need came up for a Treasurer. Being on the board has gotten me out of my comfort zone and I've talked to many more people about Christ (i.e., at the Golf event and Night of Vision). Being on the board has increased my confidence in bringing Christ to people.
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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8
Ushers Being an usher is an opportunity to serve God by serving His people, and is a wonderful way to actively and faithfully participate in the functioning of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. The role of the usher is often underestimated for its importance. Good ushers are “people-persons” who make all coming into the church feel welcome and appreciated. In doing so, ushers contribute greatly to making everyone’s church experience a positive one.
There are two assigned ushers for each service. Usher duties at Bethlehem consist of handing out worship bulletins, assisting with the offering and communion, ensuring guests and members needs are respectfully handled, being attentive during the service—watching for latecomers and assisting the Pastor with any needs that may arise. The ushers tidy up the pews after the service. Email here for more information.
INREACH SPOTLIGHT
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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8 Bible Studies
Young Adult Bible Study
(Ages 18-29)
Mondays @ 6:30pm
Now In-Person! In the Youth Room
More Info:
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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8 NEWS
Mid-Week Communion is now by appointment. [email protected]
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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8
Bethlehem VBS 2021
We are excited to tell you Vacation Bible School 2021 will be in person in Bethlehem’s community center! Our theme is Rocky Railway and we will meet August 16th-20th! Rocky Railway is for kids entering Pre-4 through 6th grade this falland will run from 9:30am to 10:30am each day. Please note that this year all students must be accompanied by a parental type in order to deal with covid restrictions. That’s one chaperone per family group!
At Rocky Railway, kids discover through life’s ups and downs that Jesus’ power pulls us through! Kids participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing and dance to catchy songs, take part in one-of-a-kind Bible Adventures, and test out Sciency-Fun Gizmos they’ll take home and play with all summer long and make some crafts at home that will bless others! You will even get a CD to play the music at home! !
We will also be collecting funds to help Lanora and her family who live in Mill Creek. Their home was affected by the fires last year and we will be able to make it better! We will get new toys like trains for Healing Hunter- a charity that supports kids as they fight cancer.
Please register your family today by clicking the button below so we have a guess as to how many will be coming!
Please pray for our VBS as we prepare and let me know if you have any questions or concerns!
For more information, call 503-649-3380 or email Eric Oswald at [email protected].
You can register at www.blcfamily.org/vbs
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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8
Turn this page in to the office for a sweet treat!
Name:
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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8
ANNIVERSARIES
BIRTHDAYS
Aug 4 Clarence and Ruby Twenhafel (60)
Aug 6 Tom and Nancy Henderson (55)
Aug 13 Richard and Karen Danielson (10)
Aug 13 Greg and Kelly Hjelmeland (27)
Aug 14 Ralph and Diane Riley (55)
Aug 16 Scott and Kathy Gray (41)
Aug 17 Steve and Pam Finney (47)
Aug 18 Zane and Becky Healy (21)
Aug 23 Greg and MaryAnn Dent (52)
Aug 3 Steve Finney
Aug 4 Jean Faszholz
Aug 5 Jaylynn Bernhardt
Aug 6 Grace Herinckx
Aug 6 Natalie Temme
Aug 7 Audrey Kuhl
Aug 7 Trish Trump
Aug 8 Mary Buehler
Aug 8 Keith Preston
Aug 9 Kevin Cullen
Aug 10 Ava Buehler
Aug 13 Karyn Buehler
Aug 13 Ella Hoffman
Aug 13 Hollee McLaughlin
Aug 17 Herman Fierro
Aug 19 Kyle Temme
Aug 20 Chris Cullen
Aug 20 Alyssa Nelson
Aug 21 Marjorie Johnson
Aug 22 Rachel Starts
Aug 24 Joel Hoffman
Aug 24 Carissa Meier
Aug 27 Eric Godsey
Aug 29 Megan Hoffman
Aug 29 Sean Weichbrodt
Aug 30 Kristen Schlottmann
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AUGUST2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8
Bethlehem Lutheran Church & Preschool
Phone: 503.649.3380 BLCfamily.org
SCRIPTURE OF THE MONTH
Pastor
Youth & Children
Worship & Music
Preschool Dir.
Rev. Jeff Shearier
Eric Oswald
Kerry Bauer
Laiva Hoffman
We Worship
Live-Streamed & In-Person Sundays 8:30am & 11:00am
www.BLCfamily.org/bethlehem-online
AUGUST 2021, VOL. 11 NO. 8
Bethlehem Lutheran
Church & Preschool 18865 SW Johnson St. Aloha, OR 97003-3164 www.blcfamily.org
I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me
life. -Psalm 119:93-
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