the EVANGEL
Help for Our Deepest Need: Mark 2:1-12
(Including excerpts from Pastor Kevin’s preaching notes for devotional use.)
Through our sermon series in the book of Mark, we recently had the opportunity to learn together about the power and goodness of God in the life of a paralyzed man and consider this profound truth:
"Jesus heals us at the source, not just the surface.”
How can the Spirit of God use this account to transform our lives? We don't just want to declare the truth at First Free Church; we want to do it by God's grace.
How can we pursue Christ's healing at the source, not just the surface?
We could say much about this, but here are a few steps to start us in the right direction:
Commandments for Our Good
By Pastor Kevin Labby
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Hebrews 12:5b-6
I once read of a man in Florida who stubbornly refused to wear his seatbelt for the previous 40 years. Never in an accident, he didn't see the need. He considered the belt an uncomfortable inconvenience. That is, until a law enforcement officer pulled him over, citing him for not wearing a seatbelt and fining him accordingly – well over $100.
By his testimony, the man was livid - that is, until only a couple of weeks later. It seems that another driver soon plowed into the man's car at a high rate of speed,
(Commandments for Our Good, continued)
SUMMER BLAST 2024
July 22 - 26, 2024
Summer Blast (6-11 year olds) and Summer Pop (4 & 5 year olds) are FREE, high-energy, weeklong evening events where we seek to proclaim God's love and goodness through drama, music, teaching, games, snack time, and fun! Each child will receive a free t-shirt on the 22nd to wear each evening.
Register now! Space is limited!
NEW THIS YEAR: Friday is a Family Fun Night! Parents or guardians will join us for a time of food, fun games, and a film!
There are opportunities to volunteer thru service and prayer for this high-energy event! Please consider how you can serve the children of our community and church family at Summer Blast 2024!
Visit myfefc.org for more information or call the church office at 412-678-6655.
enough to kill them both. The man lived, but only due to his seatbelt. Shocked, humbled, and eventually overjoyed, he sought out the trooper to thank him for the punishment – a punishment that saved his life.
And so it is with God's commandments and discipline. God gives us commandments to keep us safe and provide boundaries for life that promote joy and peace. However, we often prefer to avoid these constraints. We believe we're missing something; they cramp our style and are uncomfortable, so we disregard them.
In love, God sometimes rebukes us (Hebrews 12). He gives us a mere taste of the misery of living outside his protective constraints, thereby calling us to follow him more carefully and closely. At first, we may not realize the benefit of doing so; perhaps we only follow grudgingly. However, sooner or later, we'll see how God's commands promote rather than preclude life's greatest joys.
Consider how Moses spoke of God's commandments in Deuteronomy 10:11-12
"And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?"
How is God teaching you the goodness of His commandments?
First, let me encourage you to acknowledge a broken area in your life (Disclaimer: some issues have medical dimensions that require medical professionals' specialized expertise and "common grace" insights and assistance; we're speaking more generally right now and urge you to seek that kind of assistance whenever necessary.). It could be poor finances, a fractured relationship, struggles with resentment and anger, an addiction (maybe substances, behaviors like gambling, overeating, pornography, infinite scrolling on social media, or any number of other controlling influences), or something else. At this point, maybe you're saying, "I have so many." Let me reassure you: we all do (Romans 3:23; James 3:2). But let's not get overwhelmed. For now, I want you to identify one for which healing would make the most significant difference in your life and the lives of those you love. Let's start there.
Second, ask Jesus to reveal the deeper issues. Ask Jesus to reveal the deeper and more substantial brokenness behind it (Psalm 139:23-24; John 16:8; Hebrews 4:12).
For instance, a person's poor financial condition might result from a lack of ambition rooted in self-doubt and self-loathing. If you tell yourself that you're stupid because others said that you're stupid, and you believed them, you'll be less likely to enroll in that program or pursue the promotion that would advance your career. Likewise, you'll find it harder to forgive others and let go of anger and bitterness apart from a profound sense of your unworthiness before God and His great mercy and grace. We could quickly multiply examples.
Finally, seek Christ’s healing as a dearly loved child of God. For some, that might mean sitting down with a trusted biblical counselor or pastor. For others, it could mean joining a support group like our Spiritual Renewal Workshop led by Dan Ruccio with help from folks like Marty Kelly. We'll be featuring that excellent support ministry over the next two Sundays. Beyond that, it could mean devoting the time to studying the relevant issues with a trusted resource - like a recommended book, podcast, seminar, or conference.
Please let me encourage you to pursue healing in these areas with the kind of commitment that drove those friends to tear a hole through a roof for their hurting friend (Psalm 103:2-3; 147:3; Isaiah 40:29; Jeremiah 17:14). The brokenness isn't going to go away. Don't patch your life with figurative duct tape, cover your life's warning lights with electrical tape, or blast life's proverbial radio to drown out the warning alarms in your life. Remember: if nothing changes, nothing changes. It's time to act.
As you pursue this course, remember these two things:
1. Jesus wants you to heal, not hide.
2. He came to heal you at the source, not just the surface.
You're loved. Don't forget it.
Pasto Kevin
MEMORIAL GIFTS
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Missionary Prayer Time
June 2 @ 8:30 am
Next Gen Prayer Time
June 2, following worship
Christmas Fest Planning Luncheon
June 2, following worship
Spiritual Renewal Workshop
Tuesdays @ 7 pm
GriefShare
Thursdays @ 10 am
Student Ministry OAC Mission Trip Training
June 15 @ 10 am
Senior Achievers Luncheon
June 11 @ 11:00 am
White Cross
June 18 @ 9 am
SB Student Training
June 19 @ 8 pm
OAC Mission Trip
June 24 - 29
John Anderson
Laurie Bezeck
Mike and Jill Sussman
Mary Carlson
Laurie Bezeck
Jim Charlesworth
Anonymous
Karen Coll and Family
John and Barbara Hayes
Thomas and Elaine Humenik
Joe Pudlowski
Dave and Barbara Badstibner
ANNIVERSARIES
Copyright
Photos courtesy of Carl Pearson
Fred & Jenny Cooley
58 years
George & Cheryl Reeger
50 years
Brian & Lori Dangel
30 years
Harold & Bonnie Hobson
50 years
Ed & Debbie Neimann
45 years
Senior Achievers Luncheon
Tuesday, June 11th
11 am - Social time 11:30 am - Lunch
Devotions: Pastor Kevin
Program: Service Project for Shut-Ins
LUNCH - grilled hamburgers, salads, dessert
$10
Signups - May 26, June 2nd
