The First Baptist Church Of Bethany
Our Sunday morning message was brought to us by our Senior Pastor Larry Crawford Jr., reading from John 12:1-13.
Before the Lord Jesus enters into the lonely garden of Gethsemane, or endures the cruel beatings and death on the cross, Apostle John gives us a quiet interlude at what I like to call the 1st Baptist Church of Bethany. I call it that for several reasons….it was a HOME away from Home. I think every church ought to be that! It was a place that Jesus frequented often, more times than anywhere else. The church should be that too! It was where “2 or 3 are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst.” But most of all, it has especially lent this story a type of anyone represented by those you might find in a church.
As, I said, this is the calm before the storm, the last place Jesus wanted to be, enjoying the fellowship of his dear friends as things begin to get turbulent. Church isn’t supposed to be that way. John 12:1 states: “It is just six days before his death and Jesus is surrounded by the disciples and Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.
Each person at the church that day had something with them, so to speak.
One with Burdens. One with Box.
One with Bag.
Some had branches. Martha had a burden. She was a worker. Every church has some Martha’s in it. In fact, every church needs some Martha’s in a sense. You see Martha was a worker. She was a servant. John 12:2 “there they made him a supper and Martha served.”
Thank God for every servant of the Lord! I don’t just mean the preachers either! I mean thank God for every teacher, sweeper, cleaner, mower, and singer, everyone that says “I’m not saved to sit. I am saved to serve!
Martha could easily have become burdened, hardened and critical. She could easily have been consumed with not only what she did for the Lord but also what others didn’t do for Him.
Have you a burden this morning? Have you a heavy heart? Are you a Martha with a weary soul? You‘ve come to the right place!
Burdens are lifted at Calvary! Burdens are lifted at Calvary and Jesus is very near!
If you just knew what I know and see today you’d know, why I’m preaching this. Burdens over family members, finances, sickness, grief, heartbreak and heartache, bring them to Jesus today.
Nursing Home Ministry meets at McDonald County Living Center in Anderson at 2:30 p.m., every other Saturday. WMU meeting is the second Tuesday.
Have you read your Bible today? If not, read John 12 to continue with the rest of the story.
Since school is dismissed for the summer, we are having special events for the children throughout the summer.
Such as: The Teen Lock-In scheduled Aug. 25 and 26, beginning at the First Baptist Church in Pineville at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $20 per teen.
If you have no home church of your own, we would love for you to join us at First Baptist Church, east of the Museum Square in Pineville. Just behind the US Bank. No friendlier, down-home church can be found in the four state area. Please check out our FBCP Teen Group Facebook Page.
All Bible Verses are from the KJV, The King James Version of the Holy Bible.