Brothers and sisters,
Happy Monday to all! Yesterday’s advent theme was joy and we worshipped with joy! The Lord Jesus has come and will come again! The message centered in looking at those who had seen the Lord Jesus when He came to earth. We learned that all who believe will see salvation face to face because salvation is Jesus. We will see Jesus. We will be in His presence forever. We will not see some religion that delivered to us a way of salvation. We will not see one who gave us four steps to salvation. We will see the One Mary, Joseph, and Simeon saw and held. We will see the One the shepherds and the wise men saw and worshipped. We will see the One John saw and baptized and testified to as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We will see the One the thief on the cross saw, the One who on the day of the thief’s death took him to paradise. We will see the One the apostles and early believers saw dying, rising again and ascending to heaven. We will see the One we have not yet seen but know now. Yes, we shall see Jesus as He is and, on that day, will be made perfectly like Him in His character and live with Him forever. We will see the One we have yearned to see since we received the forgiveness He purchased for us with His blood. We will see the One we have trusted with our lives, the One who saved us and made us His children! Yes, we will behold our Lord Jesus face to face!
On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Even there will be no morning Bible Study. We will start worship on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve at a special time: 10:00 AM.
During the month of December, we will be taking up the Lottie Moon Offering for International Missions. We encourage you to pray and give toward supporting missionaries who takes the good news of Jesus to places that have no or little witness to the saving gospel of Jesus. If you write a check for the Lottie Moon Offering, make it out to East Madison and use the Lottie Moon envelope.
Remember to keep praying continually for each other. None of us know fully the burdens our brothers and sisters in Christ might be carrying.
Love being your pastor!
Bob Ray, Pastor, East Madison Baptist Church