Darlene Mitchell and the Cory grandchildren were celebrating birthdays as we gathered to worship Sunday morning at Mill Creek Baptist Church. Special prayers were requested for Nate Miller, J.R. Denny, Jimmy Easter, Debbie Taylor, Dot's cousin and Mr. Sherman's aunt.
Linda Abercrombie shared the devotional, "It Is Finished," and read John 19:30. Live your story in the middle with the end in sight. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you know how your story will end as it tells us in Revelation. Sometimes the middle of life is full of battles, suffering, confusion and ups and downs. God has placed us in the middle of what we call life and He makes the middle more bearable because we remember the promise of His salvation.
Congregational hymns were led by Becky Johnson and Karen Gardner. We were blessed with special music from the Cory grandchildren and their mother.
"When Jesus Comes to Town" was the title of Brother Mark's message, with scripture from Luke 5:12-26, as the Bible talks about those who came to town to hear God's message and be healed of their problems. Brother Mark told us we all need Jesus to come to town. "It was a big happening then and some walked for days to see Him." Luke 5:15 says, "Great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities." Brother Mark told us that we still need to hear Jesus and be healed by the Savior. "If Jesus came to town tonight would people flock to see Him. Or would they only do it if it were convenient for them. The crowd in Luke came to see Him because they believed in Jesus. They had faith with no distractions from worldly possessions. Do you believe on Jesus or do you believe in Jesus. If you believe on Him, you have used your faith. Believing in Jesus puts your faith into action."
Luke 5:18-26 tells us of the paralytic that was brought to town by his friends and healed. Brother Mark told us they had faith. "That is what friends of faith do when Jesus comes to town. The paralytic had faithful friends who recognized his needs and helped get him to town to see Jesus to help him with his problem. These days it seems everyone has a friend for a reason. It is called social engineering. We make friends for reasons to benefit ourselves. We go shopping for benefits from friends."
Brother Mark talked about what friends of faith do when Jesus comes to town. First, they sought Him. Luke 5:18 says, "Then behold, men brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before Him." They wouldn't quit. They wanted to get their friend to Jesus. Verse 19 says, "And when they could not find how they might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus." Brother Mark told us, "It took a little more effort than they thought, but they took the time, went to the trouble and came away thankful. When Jesus Christ comes to town, you go with faith. Everything they did was on faith. They were not worried about carrying the paralyzed man home because they had faith he would be healed. Faith gets it done."
In closing, Brother Mark said, "When Jesus Christ comes to town, the people of faith will be there. That is why the men took their paralyzed friend to see Jesus. They had faith. No one does more for you than the person who takes you to Jesus. Do you need to do some faith business? Cast your cares on Jesus. He cares for you. Take your faith and go see Jesus."
Our hymn of invitation was "He Touched Me," and Wayne Holly gave the benediction.
We will have a luncheon for our graduates on Sunday, May 6. We will be honoring Grant Abercrombie and Brittany Ricker, who will be graduating from McDonald County High School; and Tyrel Lett, who will be graduating from MSSU with a bachelor of science degree in education. Vacation Bible School will be on Saturday, July 14, and Saturday, July 21. We will be going to the Sight and Sound Theater to see, "Samson." We will have a wedding shower luncheon for Mitchell Lett and Abby Jeffries Sunday, June 3.
Sunday school begins at 10 a.m. and the worship service at 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome at Mill Creek Baptist Church, which is located three and one-half miles east of Noel, just off Highway 90.
Religion on 04/19/2018