Several years ago two brothers didn’t come home for dinner and their bikes were found outside the fence where the dredging had taken place. The brothers’ family and other rescue workers began to search frantically for the two brothers. They finally found one of them. He was buried up to his chin in the sand. Because of the pressure of the wet sand and muck around him, he was not breathing; so they began to dig frantically. When they uncovered him down to his waist he regained consciousness and the family, in hysterics, began to say, “Where’s your brother? Where’s your brother? Where’s your brother?”

The boy replied, “I’m standing on his shoulders.” *

The one brother had given his life so that the other might be saved! 
Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Jesus demonstrated this “greater love” by giving His life for you and for me.  When we were sinking into the depths of sin, Jesus bore the weight of our sins on the cross (1 Peter 2:24) providing the means of our salvation.  He invites each of us to “stand on His shoulders” so that you and I can be saved.

We can be saved by the merits of Christ’s death on the cross if we believe in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  And, if we will continue to follow Him faithfully, He will receive us into an eternal home (1 John 1:7; John 14:1-6).

“I Was Sinking Deep In Sin, Far From The Peaceful Shore,
Very Deeply Stained Within, Sinking To Rise No More;
But The Master Of The Sea, Heard My Despairing Cry,
From The Waters Lifted Me, Now Safe Am I”
“Love lifted me….”  *

Won’t you allow the love of Jesus to lift YOU from the deadly depths of sin?

– David A. Sargent, Minister

A survey on child safety – do you think children are more or less safe than when you were growing up?

Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

   He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she may be ill, or that something serious had happened. He found her lounging in the bedroom, still curled in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.   He looked at her bewildered and asked, “What happened here today?”   She again smiled and answered, “You know every day when you come home from work and ask me what in the world I did today?”   ”Yes” was his incredulous reply.   She answered, “Well, today I didn’t do it.”

   There is no doubt that those of us who are husbands tend not to appreciate all that our wives do (and the converse may be true at times as well). But I think we often do the same thing in the church as well. There are certain members whom we regard to be valuable because they are always visible, always in the spotlight.   There are other members whom we don’t regard with the same value because the work they do is done quietly, behind the scenes. But the person who cleans the church building or fills the communion trays is no less valuable than the one who preaches or leads singing. And if we ever showed up one Sunday and none of those “little” things were done, we’d find ourselves in a state of confusion.   Paul described the church as a body and said that like a body has many parts, so the church has many members who all have different talents. But then he added this thought:   ”Those parts of the body that seem to be the weaker are really necessary.” (I Cor. 12:22, NCV)

  I encourage you to take a look around you and find someone who is doing a job quietly, without recognition, and let them know how much you appreciate their efforts.  Alan Smith