Christian Life Church
September 6, 2026
Psalm 100CSB
1 Chronicles 29:10–17CSB
- The Lion And The Lamb
- Yahweh We Love You
- How Great Is Our God
- Living Hope
- The Blessing
- Lords PrayerBefore we begin today’s sermon would you join me in praying the words our Lord taught us to pray?Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: AmenDismiss Vanguard and NavigatorsIntroductionPlease stand for the reading of God’s Word.
Genesis 35:16–18 NKJV Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear; you will have this son also.” And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin.Genesis 35:22–26 NKJV Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: the sons of Leah were Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun; the sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin; the sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maidservant, were Dan and Naphtali; and the sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maidservant, were Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Padan Aram.This is the Word of the Lord, Amen? You may be seatedPray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray Pray PrayToday is a special sermon because we get to finish not one, BUT TWO sermon series all at once… Of course we have been in this sermon series “Almost Bethel” since July, going over the events of Genesis 35, which starts with God, for the third time, telling Jacob “Arise, and go to Bethel”… this series has been an encouragement to all of us to stop leaving near the things of God, and instead to dive head first and to dwell in the House of God… to dwell in that place of God’s Presence, and promises, provision, and protection… that place of prayer, and prophecy, and purpose, and providence… That place of... any other number of positive things that begin with the letter P… I don’t know.. IT IS THE PLACE WHERE GOD IS.WHERE GOD DWELLS IS WHERE I WANT TO DWELL! I WANT TO LIVE AT HIS FEET! WHY WOULD I WANT TO BE ANYWHERE ELSE BUT IN HIS PRESENCE?Now up unto this point, we have had six sermons in the Almost Bethel Series.We started with the question “What’s taking you so long” encouraging us that the time is NOW to go all in to Bethel.Then we had “Bury That Noise” talking about getting rid of sin and idolatry that separates us from Bethel.The next sermon, “God’s Got Your Backed” encouraged us that God won’t let anything keep us from Bethel once we make the decision to journey there and dwell there.The God of Bethel was the sermon about the Altar Jacob made, El Bethel… God of the House of God… where we talked about what it means to really live in Bethel and to really allow God to be our God… not just an addition to our life but the God of our life… He reigns in our homes, our churches, our everything… it’s the only way to dwell in Bethel...We also had the sermon “Shechem's no Shelter” talking about the sobering fact that tragedy and scandal can effect us all, but it’s better to shelter these storms in Bethel then it is to try to ride them out outside of God’s glory.And finally we had “The Promises Are Better in Bethel” talking about the wonderful fact that the closer we get to God, the better His promises seem to get in our lives… not that they had changed, but that we understand them more, walk in them more, and God reveals them more to us when we are in Bethel...You guy’s caught up so far? Good!Because today we get to finish our almost Bethel series… but not only that, we finally get to wrap up a series that we started last year at the end of December… that’s right, todays sermon wraps up Almost Bethel AND… Not the 11 traits, but now the 12 Traits of the People of God.Almost Bethel X 12 Traits of the People of GodAnd just a Recap… in Genesis 29 and 30 Jacob has 11 sons, and each of those sons has a prophetic name that represents traits that God’s people should exhibit… after all these are the leaders of the Tribes of Israel, the begining of God’s people...REUBEN - רְאוּ בֵן (Re’u Ben): See, a son. We live with the confidence that God sees us in our afflictions.SIMEON - שָׁמַע (Shama): To hear, consider, and act. God hears our pleas and acts on our behalf.LEVI - לָוָה (Lavah): To join, attach, or be bound to. We must be fully joined to Christ like a wife is joined to her husband.JUDAH - יָדָה (Yadah): Open, vocal, public praise. We send our praise into battle first, hailing Jesus as our Lion of Praise.DAN - דִּין (Din): To judge, render a verdict, or vindicate. We trust God as our Vindicator and have a healthy fear of His judgment.NAPHTALI - נַפְתָּלִי (Naphtali): My wrestling or struggle. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against evil and sin.GAD - גָּדַד (Gadad): A troop, gathering, or company of soldiers. We are called to work together like a military force.ASHER - אָשַׁר (Ashar): To be happy or blessed. Our true happiness and blessing come from contentment in Christ.ISSACHAR - שָׂכָר (Sakar): Wages, reward, or hire. God is our exceedingly great reward and He rewards those who diligently seek Him.ZEBULUN - זָבַל (Zabal): Dwelling place, home, or habitation. We find our home in the presence of God.JOSEPH - יָסַף (Yosef): To add, increase, or grow. We fulfill the Great Commission by adding souls to the Kingdom of God.BENJAMIN - בִּנְיָמִין (Ben Yamin): Son of the right hand. Living at the right hand of God brings us favor and strength.Rachel has now given birth to Benjamin, her second son and Jacob’s twelfth son… but she dies in childbirth… she once flippantly cried out to God “Give me children lest I die”… well now she has children, and like a twisted prophesy over herself coming true, she has died...In her dying breaths she names her son “Ben Oni” which means “Son of My Suffering”… but Jacob had a better name for his son...Though he was certainly suffering watching the wife that he loved die in childbirth… he overcomes his suffering and instead names his final son “Benjamin”… Son of My Right Hand…That’s why today’s title, wrapping up these two series, is “The Right Side of Bethel”...The Right Side of BethelNow that is kind of a play on words… because the right side of Bethel is INSIDE of Bethel… but I mean more than that… I mean that when we are living properly in Bethel… when we are living in the plans and purposes of God, Glorifying Him, serving Him, dwelling in His goodness… When we live in the right side of Bethel we receive the blessings of the right hand of God…Now Biblically the Right Hand represents two things… two things that I believe ought to be traits of the people of God… two things that I believe belong to believers dwelling in Bethel… Strength and Favor...So that is going to be our two points this morning… the strength that belongs to the believer in Bethel… and the Favor that belongs to the believer in Bethel… let’s start with Strength...Point One – Strength in BethelGenesis 35:18 NKJV And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin.Benjamin… Ben Yamin… Son of the right hand…Why did Jacob change his name to that? Ben Oni… Son of suffering… that’s what Rachel named him… why not keep that name, Jacob never changed any of the other son’s names...Well I think Jacob change his name to Benjamin for two reasons...First, I don’t think suffering is God’s perfect plan for His people… yes we suffer… and often times God get’s glory from our suffering… but I don’t think that is His perfect plan… because there is no suffering in eternity, there is no suffering in perfection… I don’t think God wants us to suffer… I just don’t… He allows it, but I don’t think it is His perfect will for our lives...We have talked about that before, so I won’t belabor the point… but let’s look at the flip side… Instead of “why not Ben-Oni” let’s look at why “Benjamin”… why “The Right hand” instead of “Suffering”?Well, because the right hand represents Strength and Favor… AND I DO THINK THOSE ARE THINGS THAT GOD WANTS FOR HIS PEOPLE! I do think that His will for you is to be strong and to be favored… So first, let me show you why I say strength is represented in the right hand...Exodus 15:6 NKJV “Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.Psalm 20:6 NKJV Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand.Psalm 98:1 NKJV Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.Psalm 118:15–16 NKJV The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.Isaiah 41:10 NKJV Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’So Biblically we see the right hand being a symbol of Strength, especially when it comes to God’s right hand… But what does that mean for the Believer?It means that when we leave in Bethel, when we become, like Benjamin, Sons of God’s right hand… that means we become sons and daughters of Strength...And I will be honest, I don’t believe in Sad Sack Christianity… I don’t think we are meant to be weak and passive… I think we are meant to be more than conquerors...I think we are supposed to be mountain movers, and nation shakers...I think the enemy is supposed to be afraid of us, not the other way around.I don’t think meekness and humility means weakness and passivity...I beleive we are supposed to be powerful and effective soldiers in an army that is intended to storm the gates of hell, plundering it’s population of lost souls and delivering them to the foot of the cross that they might be saved.Let me ask you a question Saints… when all is said and done… Will hell be emptier because of your contribution to the Kingdom… will heaven be fuller because of what you have accomplished through Christ?Are you the kind of believer that marches into the enemies camp and says “ENOUGH! YOU DON’T GET THAT ANY MORE!”I am taking back my health, I am taking back my mind, I am taking back my peace… I AM TAKING BACK ALL THAT YOU STOLE FROM ME!”Because NOT ONLY AM I NOT YOUR SLAVE ANY MORE SATAN… NOT ONLY AM I NOT YOUR SLAVE ANY MORE, SIN… BUT NOW I AM YOUR ENEMY! AND I DON’T INTEND TO SIT BACK AND WATCH YOU DO TO OTHERS WHAT YOU DID TO ME… I HAVE THE STRENGTH OF GOD ON MY SIDE AND I INTEND TO USE IT FOR HIS GLORY!And Saints I get it… when pain comes in… when depression comes in… when tragedy comes in… it is easy to feel weak… to feel sad… to feel sorry… hopeless… lost… And it is real nice for a pastor to get up here and get all excited about strength… but sometimes you just feel tired and weak… what are you supposed to do?YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO GET TO BETHEL… DWELL WITH THE SOURCE OF YOUR STRENGTH… REST IN THE SOURCE OF YOUR STRENGTH… BE RENEWED BY THE SOURCE OF YOUR STRENGTH...Isaiah 40:29–31 NKJV He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.Isaiah 41:10 NKJV Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’Listen, you don’t think Jacob felt weak? You don’t think he felt hopeless? He just burried Deborah… Now he has to burry his wife… in a moment his son will betray him, then right after that he will bury his father...YOU DON’T THINK HE FELT WEAK IN THAT TIME… BUT WHAT DID HE DO? HE MADE A CONSCIENCE DESICION!“NO! MY LIFE WILL NOT BE MARKED WITH SUFFERING! I REJECT BEN ONI!!!! I DECLARE BEN YAMIN! I REJECT SUFFERING AND DECLARE THE STRENGTH OF THE RIGHT HAND!”It did not mean he did not suffer, I AM SURE HE SUFFERED… It just meant he did not let suffering define his life, instead he let STRENGTH define his life!Psalm 73:26 NKJV My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.Okay, this is what we are going to do… if we can get someone to come and play… I just want to minister throughout the rest of this sermon… can we do that… It is too important to let pass...If you are in here and you have faced a time of suffering, a time of weakness, a time of hardship...Maybe it is the sorrow of losing a loved one… maybe it is chronic pain or sickness… maybe it is struggles with family, or difficulties at work...But you feel weak… you feel tired… you feel beat up… If that is you, and today you are ready to reject Ben Oni… you are ready to reject suffering… and instead put on strength… if that is you I want you to stand up right where you are so we can pray for you and see what the Lord does...*Ministry Time - Come to Bethel*Joshua 1:9 NKJV Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”Psalm 27:14 NKJV Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!1 Corinthians 16:13 NKJV Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.Okay, let’s continue in the spirit of ministry as we talk about God’s favor in Bethel...Point Two – Favor in BethelGenesis 35:18 NKJV And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin.The right hand not only represents strength, but it also represents favor… so not only was Jacob rejecting suffering for Strength, he was rejecting suffering for favor...Psalm 16:11 NKJV You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.Someone say “fulness of joy”...According to this scripture… where is there fulness of Joy? IN GOD’S PRESENCE… When you are in the right-side of Bethel… when you are living in God’s presence.. there is fulness of Joy… that is a promise of God… I want fullness of Joy! I want to dwell in Bethel… I WANT TO LIVE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD… Let’s read that verse again...Psalm 16:11 NKJV You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.Someone say “Pleasures forevermore”…According to this scripture Where are those pleasures located? AT GOD’S RIGHT HAND!Listen, Biblically and culturally the right hand was a place of favor… Favor means blessings, and goodness, and protection, and all the good things from the Father...Favor means we are treated differently because we are God’s children...Listen, I might buy your kids icecream once or twice in their life, because I like blessing kids… but I buy MY kids ice cream every Friday… because they are my kids, they have my favor… I bless them more than I bless other peoples kids… that’s just how it is…And so it is with God… He blesses His kids more… listen, God’s godness is even shined on the wicked from time to time… they get to see the beauty of creation… they get breath in their longs… Christ died for them and they get chance after chance to repent and come to Him… Those are good things that God gives even the wicked...BUT HIS CHILDREN… OH MAN! HIS CHILDREN HAVE HIS FAVOR… We don’t deserve, it is grace… but we have HIS FAVOR… and that Favor is found at His right hand… that Favor is found in His presence...Matthew 7:11 NKJV If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!Luke 12:32 NKJV “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.Romans 8:32 NKJV He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?God gave His only Son for you! He is not going to withhold that blessing from you, that favor from you, that joy from you, that everlasting life and life more abundantly from you…And might I suggest that if you find yourself begrudgedly coming to church this morning… you don’t feel the blessings… you don’t feel the favor… you feel crushed, weak, and defeated… might it be because you have found yourself on the wrongside of Bethel...And I am not even talking about your circumstances, because it has nothing to do with your circumstances...Jacob’s circumstances were THE WORST OF THE WORST… Death and sin sorrounded him… and the verry moment… probably the HARDEST MOMENT OF HIS LIFE… as he watches his son die… HE REFUSES TO TAKE SUFFERING AS AN ANSWER… And He proclaims favor...By the way, it’s not just Jacob… don’t think I am pulling things out of the text that are not there… Paul, locked up in chains…Philippians 4:11–13 ESV Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.Paul wrote this while imprisoned for the Gospel… imprisoned by the same people who would eventually behead him… and people felt bad for Paul and were sending him gifts… and Paul was litterally like “I am good guys!” and they were like “How can you be good, you are imprisoned” and Paul, like Jacob, proclaims “Through Christ I am content, I am favored, I am good… my circumstances are terribly, but my God is good and He favors me!”So the major take away form this, as we close with a little time of favor and blessing, is this… Everyone in this room has different circumstances… some harder than others… some worse than others… I don;t know everyones circumstances… but this I know… God is good, and He will give you Favor and Strength… but you must first chose, right now, this day… to DWELL IN BETHEL...Paul Recognized that even though he was imprisoned… He could still be in Bethel… because Bethel is a state of spiritual being more than it is the physical place Jacob dwelt… we can have that same realization...A prison cell can be Bethel.A hospital room can be Bethel.A pray closet… a long car ride… a church meeting… a basement… in the midst of the storm... where two or three are gathered… where broken hearts are bound up… where praises are lifted even in the darkest of circumstances...I can tell you with confidence… When my best friend died at 2 in the morning in a Seattle hospital… when I walked out to my car, feeling hopeless… when the literal storm raged around me in that little 1987 Honda Civic… the Rain pooring, the thunder and the lightning… WHEN I BEGAIN TO PRAISE GOD IN THAT CAR… THAT HOSPITAL PARKING LOT… THAT HONDA CIVIC… THAT WAS BETHEL… and I was closer to God in that moment then ever before...Chose to dwell in the things of God church… chose to dwell in Bethel… and His favor will be upon you...Psalm 16:11 NKJV In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.As we close this message about dwelling in Bethel… let’s close with the Blessing… because the Blessing was meant for people dwelling in Bethel.… But before that… One more word about the right hand of God.ConclusionTurn On Children’s Class LampsMatthew 25:33–34 NKJV And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:Matthew 25:41 NKJV “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:The Bible is clear… there will be a day when we will be judged… and God will put at his right hand… the place of favor and strength… those who have been forgiven of their sins and redeemed by the blood of Christ, those who love God and serve God, and love other as Christ loved others… on the left hand will be those who died in their sins, never forgiven, never redeemed… living lives of sin and selfishness…But today God extends His right hand too you, offering you forgiveness, offering you favor, offering you peace… there is no reason you need to be counted amongst the goats… no reason to fear hell… for God does not want you to perish, but He wants you to turn from your sins and turn to Him...Gospel CallNow back to His favor… for the people in Bethel… it comes from Numbers Numbers 6:23-26Numbers 6:23–26 NKJV “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: “The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’All StandSing the blessing...Aaronic Blessingיאר יהוה פניו אליך ויחנך ישא יהוה פניו אליך וישם לך שׁלום"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.You are dismissed from this place but not from His Presenceye·va·re'·khe·kha' · Adonai · ve·yeesh'·me·re'·khaya·eir · Adonai · pa·nav · e·ley'·kha · vee·khoon·ne'·kahees·sa · Adonai · pa·nav · e·ley'·kha · ve·ya·seim · le·kha · sha·lom"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.You are dismissed from this place but not from His Presence Genesis 35:16–18NKJV
Genesis 35:22–26NKJV
Genesis 35:18NKJV
Exodus 15:6NKJV
Psalm 20:6NKJV
Psalm 98:1NKJV
Psalm 118:15–16NKJV
Isaiah 41:10NKJV
Isaiah 40:29–31NKJV
Isaiah 41:10NKJV
Psalm 73:26NKJV
Joshua 1:9NKJV
Psalm 27:14NKJV
1 Corinthians 16:13NKJV
Genesis 35:18NKJV
Psalm 16:11NKJV
Psalm 16:11NKJV
Matthew 7:11NKJV
Luke 12:32NKJV
Romans 8:32NKJV
Philippians 4:11–13NKJV
Psalm 16:11NKJV
Matthew 25:33–34NKJV
Matthew 25:41NKJV
Numbers 6:23–26NKJV
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