NOTE: I don’t normally preach a message at our mid-week service. We usually have a Bible devotion, followed by a "real" prayer meeting (we break-up into small groups and pray for about 35 - 45 minutes). The extraordinary events which happened this week caused me to change what we normally do. We shared prayer requests, and then I preached the following:
Concerning the terrorist attack Tuesday:
+ As an act of violence: callous ~ calculated ~ cowardly
+ Almost impossible to conceive
+ The reality difficult to fully comprehend ~ Scope ~ effect ~ cost ~ suffering
+ Engendered a great variety of calls ~ Outrage ~ Revenge / vengeance ~ Patriotism ~ Prayer ~ Help
+ Hopefully, also a cause of quiet reflection
Reflection for me
+ Set aside this evening’s planned devotion
+ Considering changes to this week’s services
+ Thought long & hard about what to say this evening
My initial conclusion
+ Our primary responsibility is to glorify God (HOW each of us might do that in this situation depends on our where we find our self within the situation)
+ Our secondary ~ related responsibility: bear witness of Jesus Christ: His Love ~ Healing ~ Saving
+ To better reflect this to others: we need to reflect on it
+ Especially the compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ
+ How that compassion can meet many real & present needs
Let us consider how the compassion of Christ can meet some of the very real & present needs you may run into this week:
+ For those who are weary and heavy laden = Matt. 11:28 - 30
+ For those who need encouragement = Matt. 12:20
+ For those who need healing = Mark 1:40 - 42 (healing of lepers)
+ For those hungry and poor = Mark 8:1 - 3 (feeding of the 4,000)
+ For those who have been afflicted = Luke 7:12 - 15 (raising the son of the widow of Nain)
+ For those who are perishing in their sin = John 3:16 - 17
And especially for us ~ For those who are tempted = Heb. 2:16 - 18 (in all points)
The bottom line = Heb. 4:14 - 16
At this point, I invited all the men who desired to do so, to stand and pray for our country. I then closed that time with prayer, and invited all to stay and continue praying over our prayer list. Most did.
