Pastor's Message

Thanks for the encouragement

What a blessing it is to be encouraged. On Ash Wednesday,
I greatly appreciated all the comments that I would be in
your prayers. I appreciated the note saying that I was on the
prayer list of the Church. I was grateful for the cards that
were sent. It was wonderful to receive the phone calls and
hearing your concern for me while I was recuperating. It was
such a blessing to see the people of God doing what the people
of God do, encourage one another.

It made me think about Jesus though and his last day
before he died. Who was there for him? The last supper was
not filled with good memories like there should have been.
The meal began with a great oversight- nobody to wash the
feet. Jesus saw it as a teachable moment- a leader is a servant
of others. That lesson was rebuffed by Peter. Jesus also
created a little turmoil of his own by announcing that someone
at the table was going to betray him. Speaking of which,
Judas, a leader of the disciples did betray him with a kiss.
Every one of his disciples separated themselves from Jesus
when the guards arrested Jesus. Peter, who swore he would
die for Jesus denied him three times. The leaders of the church
misused their authority and condemned Jesus to death and then
pushed Pilate into a corner so that he had to crucify Jesus. The
only people that seemed to support Jesus were those who cried
for him on the way to the cross. But what could they do but cry?
Simon helped Jesus by taking his cross. The thief on the cross
defended Jesus and looked to him for help. John, Mary, and
some others wept for Jesus at the cross. A soldier eulogized
Jesus as the son of God when he died. But everybody else was
against him. The other thief on the cross mocked Jesus. The
others around the cross made fun of him. It seemed as though
even Jesus’ heavenly father had forsaken him.

Jesus did not receive a lot of support before he died. Thank the
Lord that Jesus remained obedient unto death. Thank God that
Jesus rested on the Word of God, the promises of God, and the
character of God. Jesus knew that his death was foretold in
Scripture. Jesus knew that His Father would not let the Holy One
see corruption. Jesus knew that His Father was a merciful God
abounding in steadfast love. As grateful as I was from all your
support, I found my confidence in God and his promises. I knew
that God was with me. I thank God for the wisdom and the ability
of those in the medical profession. I thank God for the way that
he has made the human body so that it can heal itself. I thank
God for a loving wife who stopped me from doing things that I
should not do. I thank God for a supporting church, which
encouraged me when I was weak (and still am). I thank God for
a savior who, though received little encouragement when he
needed it most, sticks close to me when I need him.

Pastor Massey

Pastor's Message