Church Blog

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday as we worshipped, we praised our great redeemer God. We realized in our praise that no one can compare with the greatness of our God. We then looked at the triumphal entry of Jesus in John 12 as He moved to the ultimate purpose of His mission: to die on the cross in our place taking our punishment and then conquer death by rising again. We thought from John 12 about how God is always revealing Himself to us through His Word. We always want to be growing in our seeing our great God as He truly is. We want to make sure we see God clearly and that our sins and prejudices don’t give us a distorted understanding of who God truly is. We don’t want our cultural lenses or wrong expectations to blur our understanding of who God truly is. We always want to keep reading and studying God’s Word so our understanding of God will become clearer and clearer all throughout our lives. We want to always be seeking to understand God more fully so we will always be walking with Him.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor,

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday we took time in our worship to share in the Lord’s Supper. In preparing to take the supper, we examined our lives and asked the Lord to reveal anything not pleasing to Him so we might confess and forsake those things. We then examined in John 12 one of the most beautiful demonstrations of love for Jesus in God’s Word when Mary anointed Jesus at Bethany. Mary, motivated by love for Jesus, used her most valuable possession, a vial of ointment worth a year’s wages, a possession that provided for her future, and spent it all on Jesus. She held nothing back in showing her love. We saw the chief priests and Judas Iscariot motivated by hatred and greed whose lives came to tragedy and nothing. However, Mary’s act of love and devotion toward her Savior will be remembered and honored forever. We learned that we as believers should always seek to be growing more and more in love with Jesus so we might follow her wonderful example.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor,

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! We worshipped yesterday our great God, who has no equals and no rivals. We considered the wonderful mercy of our glorious Christ. With Matt Papa and Matt Boswell, we:

“Praise the Lord, His mercy is more.
Stronger than darkness, new ev’ry morn.
Our sins they are many; His mercy is more.

Then from John 11, we saw God works even through any who oppose His Kingdom to provide salvation to any and all who will believe. Jesus causes division when people refuse to believe. The solutions of those who oppose Jesus are to reduce Him to just some teacher or some good man or to seek to get rid of Jesus. But that will never work. We saw leaders seek to end the life of the innocent Jesus to save their political and religious influence and power. However, in spite of what they thought they had power to do, they could not take Jesus’ life from Him. Jesus’ life was not taken! Jesus’ life was freely given so we could be saved. God the Father sent the Son to die in our places so our sins could be forgiven. It was the loving Father’s gift to sinful man. Jesus, God the Son, then willingly laid down His life so our sins could be forgiven and so those who believe can receive eternal life, the life of being with God now and forever. Jesus, then, took His life up again and we raised to never die again. Jesus was stronger than sin, death, and the grave. And yes, Jesus is “mighty to save” any and all who will believe and embrace Him.

We will be observing the Lord’s Supper during our morning worship next Sunday, July 18, 2021.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor,

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! As we worshipped in song yesterday, we focused on how great our God is, that there is none like Him, and nothing and no one who can compare with our God. The message from Malachi 2 focused on us making our marriages a beautiful picture of Jesus and His church. God in the goodness of creation made marriage the first institution. Marriage God’s way is for one man to commit to one woman until death parts them. Sexual activity is only good when it is within the bounds of marriage and any sexual activity outside of marriage is a corruption of God’s good creation. We should do what we need to do to make our marriages all they should be. Spend quality and quantity time with each other simply nurturing our marriages and growing closer to our spouses. Guard our marriages, for Christ’s sake! Guard our thought life and our emotions, protecting ourselves from any relationship that would come between ourselves and our spouses. Guard what you put in your mind so the things you see and read will not be opening yourself up to temptations. Protect ourselves from any relationship, alliance, business agreement, Facebook friendship, or anything else that would harm our marriages. God wants to help us have wonderful marriages and He wants to help us make that happen. God also wants His church to be a place where marriages are strengthened, and married people are encouraged and help. Good marriages picture the love Jesus has for His bride, the people of God, the church. Marriages built on God’s truth and sustained by His selfless love bring much glory to Him and happiness to His people.

Sunday night, July 11, we are planning another get together picnic at 6:00 PM. Bring some food for your family and come and fellowship. We will have no agenda but to visit and fellowship with one another. Invite a friend who needs the Lord or a church home so they could get to know us. If there is inclement weather, our alternate date will be July 18.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor,

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday we worshipped and celebrated the Lord’s Supper together, helping us to always keep in mind the price paid for our salvation. We then considered from the Scripture the importance of family and especially being fathers. Children are to obey parents in the Lord and all of us, children and adults, are to honor our fathers and mothers throughout our lifetimes. Fathers and mothers are to show and teach their children how to be men and women of God. Families are important to God. Dad and mom, is family your second highest priority next to your relationship to God? Fathers and mothers, make a difference for eternity by making a difference in the lives of your children. Lead your family to walk with God. Families where fathers invite Jesus Christ to rule bring glory to God and fulfillment to parents and children alike.

If you are interested in caring for some of the plants and greenery on our church property, let me know. We probably need a small team that could share this responsibility.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor,

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! It was wonderful to be with all of you yesterday to adore and worship our great God. We thought from the last part of John 10 about the true security of those who belong to Jesus Christ. The enemies of Jesus tried to trap him, but they learned that they could not trap Jesus. We learned from this passage that no one or no force of evil can ultimately trap or harm those who believe and belong to Jesus! Those who believe are safe and secure in Jesus. Jesus’ words testify that Jesus is Savior and Messiah. Jesus’ followers testify to Him, know His voice, and He keeps them eternally secure. Jesus’ works and God’s written Word testify that Jesus saves. Jesus’ followers continuing testimony to salvation in Jesus never fails to bear fruit. Jesus saves and keeps safe and saved all who believe. Do you want that kind of life and security and hope and purpose? Jesus gives it if you will believe. Following Jesus means that we are forever protected from those who would destroy us.

We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper next Sunday, June 20, 2021, during our morning worship at 9:00 AM. Also, next Sunday is the conclusion of our baby bottles offerings for CareNet.

Kathleen Brandenburg’s father’s funeral will be held on Friday, June 18, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 5701 Raymond Road, at 11:00 AM.

If you are interested in caring for some of the plants and greenery on our church property, let me know. We probably need a small team that could share this responsibility.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor,

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday was a wonderful day of worship and fellowship with God’s family at East Madison. Yesterday morning, Pete, David, and Annette led us in worship of our great King and Redeemer. Then, from John 10, we looked at Jesus the Good Shepherd, who gives life. The Good Shepherd brings protection. The Good Shepherd offers to us eternal and abundant life. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for us and then takes His life back up again. The life Jesus offers is not meant to be “just enough to get by.” Jesus offers us eternal life, the very life of God, full and overflowing. The life of following Jesus is the best life you can have. Jesus offers it to you today if you will hear His voice and receive Him. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, gives overflowing life to any and all who trust in Him.

We then topped a good morning off with a good evening. Last night, we had a great time at our picnic. Dave Germann and Lee Gander led in a wonderful concert and singalong. God’s people also got to hang out with each other in a way that has not been possible for a long time. It was great to talk to many of you and hear more of how God has lovingly drawn you to Himself and worked in your lives. I had a great time and I think many of you did also. We will do this kind of get-together again soon!

If you are interested in caring for some of the plants and greenery on our church property, let me know. We probably need a small team that could share this responsibility.

Remember to fill up your baby bottles for CareNet. I know we already have had three bottles turned in and taken to CareNet. We will conclude this special offering for this great ministry on Father’s Day, June 20.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Love being your pastor,

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Tuesday to all! I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day holiday and thought about someone you knew who sacrificed his or her life in the service of our country. I think of one young man whose funeral I officiated at in 2012 who was killed in Afghanistan.

On Sunday, we looked at John 9 and the amazing miracle of Jesus healing a man blind from birth. We learned that though we like to access blame and figure out the causes for such things, God wants our focus to be on what His grace can do to help alleviate suffering in such cases.  We learned there is a difference between man’s religion and God’s grace.  Religion will never save you. You will never find life, peace, hope, joy in religion. Man’s religions focuses on the cause of suffering. Man’s religions focuses on tradition. Man’s religions focuses on the miniscule. Man’s religions focuses on the system. However, God’s grace focuses on relieving suffering. God grace focuses on people. God’s grace focuses on the big picture. God’s grace focuses on Jesus. Man’s religion will only burden you and weigh you down. If you are bankrupt because of man’s religion today, hear the invitation of Jesus this morning. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light,” (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV.) Jesus comes to us to give true sight and real life to all who embrace Him. Embrace Jesus today!

Remember that next Sunday, June 6, we will be moving the start time of our morning worship services to 9:00 AM. We will conduct services through the summer in our parking lot whenever the weather allows us to do that. Also, next Sunday evening, June 6, we will be having a church picnic on the grounds starting at 6:00 PM.  We will not share food but ask you to bring food for your family. I am looking forward to getting together with all of you on that evening. Plan on being here with us on that Sunday evening.

During the weeks between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, we are participating with CareNet Pregnancy Center of Dane County in the Baby Bottle Campaign to help support this wonderful ministry. Baby bottles are available for you to take and use to collect an offering for this ministry, which we shall take to them after Father’s Day.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Sisters and brothers,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday we brought praise to our great God and thought about what it truly means to be free. John 8 teaches us true freedom comes to those whose embrace and believe in Jesus. Real freedom enables us to know and follow Jesus. If we do not know Jesus, we might think we are free but, in reality, we are slaves to sin. It dominates us and controls us. If we want to be free today, we must abide in Jesus’ word so we will know the truth that sets us free. Faith in Christ continually frees us from the enslavement of sin. Faith in Christ transfers us into the family of God. Faith in Christ enables us to live without ever really dying. Believe in Jesus and let the Son of God set you free and you will be free indeed.

Put Sunday evening, June 6, on your calendar.  We will be having a church picnic on the grounds starting at 6:00 PM.  We will not share food but ask you to bring food for your family. I am looking forward to getting together with all of you on that evening. Plan on being here with us on that Sunday evening.

During the weeks between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, we are participating with CareNet Pregnancy Center of Dane County in the Baby Bottle Campaign to help support this wonderful ministry. Baby bottles are available for you to take. We ask you use these to collect an offering for this ministry, which we shall take to them after Father’s Day.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church

Brothers and sisters,

Happy Monday to all! Yesterday we had a beautiful day to worship in our parking lot. As we sang praise to the Lord, we considered the high price paid for our redemption by our Savior. We then remembered Him as we took the Lord’s Supper together. We saw from John 8 how Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel and the world. If you want a Savior, a Messiah, a Lord, a Leader, One who is the Light of the world, look to Jesus. Jesus “has delivered us (those who believe) from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”  Do not miss Jesus by being distracted by anything else. Jesus provides light, life, and direction for all who will follow Him.

Today, May 17, is a special day for me. On this day 41 years ago, Carla and I were married. I thank God when I was young and inexperienced, that His Holy Spirit led me to Carla. I knew God had given me a jewel but did not know just how blest I was on that day. Carla is a wonderful wife who sees me at my worst and still loves me. I do not know of anyone who could have been a better mother to our children and grandmother to our granddaughters. Carla is a fantastic partner in ministry! Carla has a huge heart for hurting people and has invested her life in seeking to help them and point them to Jesus. God truly blessed me with a wife of beauty and noble character, and I wanted, like the husband of the Proverbs 31 woman, to rise and honor her today.

Put Sunday evening, June 6, on your calendar.  We will be having a church picnic on the grounds starting at 6:00 PM.  We will not share food but ask you to bring food for your family. I am looking forward to getting together with all of you on that evening. Plan on being here with us on that Sunday evening.

During the weeks between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, we are participating with CareNet Pregnancy Center of Dane County in the Baby Bottle Campaign to help support this wonderful ministry. Baby bottles are available for you to take. We ask you to use these to collect an offering for this ministry, which we shall take to them after Father’s Day.

Remember to keep praying continually for each other.

Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church