The Weekly Epistle 8/14/19

How long can you hold your arms in the air? How long before your arms get tired? Do you remember the biblical account in Moses’ life when his arms got tired?  We won’t be looking at that scene in our present sermon series, but it is a powerful story that speaks to where we live life.
 
In a battle against the Amalekites at the end of Exodus chapter 17, there is an interesting twist to the Israelites defeating their enemy.  Whenever Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.  As you can imagine, after a while of Moses holding up his hands, he got tired.  So, two guys come alongside of Moses and each grab one of his arms to hold it up.  In essence they are saying, “Moses, keep doing your part and we will help you.”  
 
The church is called to come alongside each other to help them stay the course.  Just when we might say, “I don’t know how much longer I can keep going,” others lift us up.  Just when we are too weary to parent, to stick it out in our marriage, to make it through another week, to live with this pain, to keep our arms up, the church family is nearby.  As we saw from Moses’ life this past week, there are times when in our weariness we need to share the load and find relief of some additional tasks.  There are also those times, as in Exodus 17, that we need people holding up our weary arms in support and love.  Either way, church, we need each other.  Going the distance requires the help of others.
 
We were made for community.  I hope you have others around you helping you keep your commitments, sharing the load, putting courage into you, and spurring you on to love and good deeds.  Community groups will be in full stride in a few weeks.  The name community groups is not accidental.  It is in smaller groups that meet regularly where community is experienced, where the one another admonitions of Scripture are lived out, and where we taste what being the church is all about.  Sign up begins this Sunday.  There are two new groups added to our existing groups.
 
Please be in prayer for the neighborhood block party happening this Saturday.  We just learned that there is a carnival taking place at Leavitt park around the same time.  Not sure what that means, but that while it was a surprise to us, our sovereign Lord was not surprised.  He’s got this!
 
Hope you are planning on attending the picnic and baptism on Sunday, September 8.  Baptism classes will be held the next two Sundays during the first service in room 102.  Check out the details below.
 
As you continue in your week remember Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11.  “Come all who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest.”  Remember Peter’s words in his first epistle, chapter 5- “Cast all your cares on Him because he cares for you.”  Praise God that He never sleeps or slumbers, but that His eyes are constantly on us…even when we sleep!  EBC, rest in Him!
 
Blessings, Pastor Brian