Bethel Evangelical Church, Clydach
  • Finding faith
  • Sermons
  • Find us
  • Contact us
  • New here?
    Let’s get introduced
    • About Us
      • Our beliefs
      • Our history
      • Our photos
      • Our sermons
    • Bethel people
    • What does God offer?
    • Contact us
    • Find us
  • What’s on
    Something for everyone
    • Sunday worship
    • Finding faith
      • Food for Thought
    • Fellowship and growth
      • Bible study and prayer
      • Fellowship groups
      • Growing together… in God’s Word
      • Oasis
      • Time2Talk
    • Children and youth
      • Sunday school
      • Adventurers and Discoverers
      • Impact
    • Special events this Easter
  • Meet us
    Stories of changed lives
    • Debra — I realised God loved me
    • Lorna — I didn’t want to be a hypocrite
    • Siân — I found something better
    • Esther — It feels like I’m finally alive!
    • Friends of Bethel
      • Garin Jenkins — God has been with me all my life
      • Henry Olonga — God was calling me to speak out
      • Billy Burns — He tried to kill me, but when I met him, I liked him
      • Tamar Pollard — The freedom and power of forgiveness

Sermons

  • Our beliefs
  • Our history
  • Our photos
  • Our sermons

How to find acceptance (Luke 18:9-14)

Mark BarnesMark Barnes, November 20, 2016
Part of the Luke series, preached at a Sunday Morning service

Tags:

https://www.bethel-clydach.co.uk/sermons/?show&file_name=2016-11-20-am.mp3 Download
Earlier: Same day: Later:
« Holy Ambition Building God's Kingdom Unwanted Sympathy »

Luke 18:9–14 (Listen)

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

(ESV)

Powered by Sermon Browser
Finding faith
We love sharing our faith with others, but we also know from our own experience that many people need time and space to think through the message of the Bible for themselves. So if you want to explore what Christianity offers, we think you'll find Bethel a great place to do that. If you want to just listen, that's fine. If you've got questions, we'll do our best to help. If you've problems that no-one else seems to be able to help with — perhaps a bereavement, family crisis, or spiralling debts — then you'll find Bethel a place where you can not only get emotional and practical support, but spiritual help, too.
More about Finding faith…
Keith’s story

“I started to see I wasn't the nice guy I thought I was”

After I retired I missed spending time with people and thought I’d find some sort of community in a church. I was quite nervous about going by myself. Eventually, when I did go to Bethel, it was quite reassuring. There were even people on the front door to welcome me. Listening to the preacher came as a bit of a shock though. He said no-one was good enough to go to heaven. I thought that as long as your good deeds are more than your bad you’ll be fine and go to heaven but this wasn't what God said in the Bible. I started to see I wasn't the nice guy I thought I was. God was on my mind more than ever and I knew I needed him so I started to go to Bethel regularly. I often thought about the wrong things I’d done in my life and wondered if God really wanted me.
Read more of Keith’s story

Latest Tweets

…

Connect with us

Recent sermons

  • A wedding and a funeral on December 7, 2025.
  • Encourage one another on December 7, 2025.
  • Christ's unchanging faithfulness on November 30, 2025.
  • Admonish one another on November 30, 2025.
  • Hope in grief on November 23, 2025.

 Bethel Evangelical Church, Heol-y-nant, Clydach     Tel: 01792 828095     Registered charity: 1142690