Weekly Newsletter 5/17-5/24
FBC Marysville Weekly Newsletter
Last week:
- Sunday was a special Lord's Day for us as we celebrated Taylor Roberts' baptism, then gathered for our fellowship meal afterwards.
If you missed out on hot dogs and burgers, take comfort in knowing that Lord willing, there will be many more to come.
We are extremely excited to welcome Taylor into our fellowship, so take time to get to know her and her kiddos, pray for her, and walk alongside her on this journey with Jesus.
Announcements:
- Background checks: If you have not already, get your full name, phone number, and email address to Pastor Anthony so that we can run background checks for anyone who works with children. In addition, if you are on the security team, we will need your information as well.
- Cohorts: Our next round of discipleship cohorts will begin June 7th. For more information on these, see the board in the Next Steps room.
Prayer Requests:
- Dodie Mitchell: Our sister, Dodie passed away on the 18th. Please pray for her family members, many of which are members of our church and well. Dodie will be missed!
- Krisztina Wodrich: Pray for Krisztina as she recovers from a medical procedure.
- Gospel Opportunities: Throughout history, the Lord has built His Church by the personal interactions of His people with the world. Pray that the Lord would use you to bring more people to our church family, and more people who will hear His message of Grace.
Weekly Devotional: from Acts 22:30-23:35
On Sunday, we studied Acts 22:30-23:35 where Paul has been placed on trial by the Sanhedrin for the accusations brought against him. Namely, the lie that he had commanded converts to forsake the Law of Moses. He had not made such claims, but simply preached Jesus' message to the world, that by God's grace, through faith in Jesus alone man can be saved. During his trial, Paul makes clear that his conscience is good in these matters and that he has walked with integrity. He explains to the council that he is on trial about questions of the resurrection, because he had proclaimed that Jesus rose from the dead as the True Messiah and Son of God. This caused a massive fight between the Pharisees and sadducees that nearly caused Paul to be pummeled once more. Instead, Claudius Lysias takes Paul back to the barracks.
After receiving word that there was a plot to kill Paul from the Jews, Claudius sent a letter to Felix and moved Paul by night with protection in order to fulfill the Lord's plan to have Paul testify about Christ in Rome. Now, What I would like to make a big deal about this week is the interaction Paul has with Jesus while in the Roman barracks prison.
"The following night the Lord stood by [Paul] and said, 'Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.'"(Acts 23:11)
I would like for us to ponder two interesting realities that are implied by this word from Jesus.
1.) Jesus drew near to the suffering Paul
As C.H. Spurgeon said, "The Lord does not send His servants to warfare at their own charges. He stands by them in the darkest hour and gives them courage suited for the day." See, I am struck by the idea that Paul, having been beaten, thrown in jail for lies, and shamed, has this encounter with the Savior which is meant to strengthen him. What a reality, that Jesus comes to Paul in his time of need and of desperation!
We can have courage and take heart knowing that even in the depths of the darkest prisons and toughest times, Jesus promises to be by our side. Sunday, I briefly mentioned the words from David in Psalm 3. The context is, David is on the run, being chased and hunted by his own son Absalom, who wanted to kill him. I would venture to say that not many of us have found ourselves in circumstances like this. However, David writes in the Psalm, "But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and He answered me from His holy hill."(v.3-4).
Imagine in the worst of hardships the words of David, saying that God is the lifter of our head. I have been worn down and discouraged beyond belief, but what a friend we have in Jesus! I have been tired, lonely, and afraid, but the Lord Jesus lifted my head. Trust that even when life is dark, there is One who stands by your side who will sustain you, and be your shoulder to lean on.
2.) The Lord has a plan, even when we may feel abandoned
Think about how many times Paul may have wanted to question God and His goodness in the trials he has gone through. Jesus promised that Paul would suffer for His Name, but Paul has gone through more than I could even think. Maybe in this jail scene where Paul has been brought to the brink of death by multiple attacks from the opposition and was sitting in a dirty Roman dungeon, he may have thought, 'Well, I am not sure I will get out of this one.' But then Jesus enters the picture, stands beside him, calls for him to take courage, then explains the next step of the journey.
He does not tell him every little thing that will play out, but calls for him to walk in faith knowing only the destination and trusting the Lord for the rest. Imagine if we thought of things with a birds eye view while in the valley. Sometimes that is difficult when we are surrounded by mountains, but remember the birds can see what's on the other side. Here, Jesus tells Paul the destination, and surely there would be troubles, but he can know that the Lord will get him to the finish, because He has a plan. Christ is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, who holds all things together. That being said, we can trust our lives in His hands because walking according to His will is the only goal worth living for. We can trust that the pain we go through will not be in vain because God has a plan. We can know that all things will work out because we know the future is secure in Jesus. We can be assured that though life can be horrific and tough, there is a good Savior who loves us and will use even the worst of things for the good of those who trust Him.
"Mine are tears in times of sorrow, darkness not yet understood. Through the valley I must travel, where I see no earthly good. But mine is peace that flows from heaven, and the strength in times of need. I know my pain will not be wasted, Christ completes His work in me." (Christ is Mine Forevermore - CityAlight)
Anthony Lampron, Pastor