3-8-2015

 Good Morning All,

         Acts 14:20; “But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.”

“When you're down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, whoa nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights”

     So goes the opening verse to Carole King’s “You’ve got a Friend”.  This ballad speaks of a kinship that goes beyond being close by to each other.  It involves the promise that you can always count on me to come to your aid or rescue.

    Our verse is part of a story where the Apostle Paul was dragged from the city of Lystra by the Jews and stoned.  He is left for dead.  But soon the disciples gathered around him and he rose up and then entered the city.  The next day he went to Derbe, a different city.  An amazing story; as it tells of the wonderful power which God gives to us when we gather together to aid a brother or sister in Christ.  We gather to pray, to uplift one another, to console one another, to offer the words of God’s comfort and hope.

    This is one of the blessings of God’s church here on earth; we are here to aid one another, to bear one another’s burdens.  This gives us two ways to view this.  First, we are our brother’s keeper.  We are to look after one another.  If we see our brother fading or being knocked down by the world and the devil, we need to gather around them, pray for them, strengthen them with God’s Word so that they can get back up and face the world all over again.  We are to be sure that no one faces the battles of this world by themselves.  We are there for aid, comfort and support.

    We also can know that when the attacks are at us and these attacks will occur, that we will not have to face them alone.  We face them with God’s Spirit and the love and support of all the brothers and sisters in Christ.  The battles are not your alone or mine alone; they are ours together, because God’s Spirit is strengthened in us when we hold onto one, we seek out one another to receive the consolation that we seek.  God is with us all the time and we, as the church, like the disciples that surrounded Paul, are to be there for one another as well.

Gracious Father, you lift us up by the willingness of our brothers and sisters to 0come to our aid and comfort.  Lead us by your Spirit to lift up those around us who are in need.  Strengthen the brothers and sisters to stand up to the many struggles in this life.  Give us your mercy to live in peace.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret