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