Dear Editors and friends,

Please freely print this weeks Penny Pulpit Column in your papers, bulletins, emails, bloggs and twitters . Thank you for this consideration.
Pastor Ed Rice, Good Samaritan Baptist Church, Dresden NY 14441

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Msg# 1251 Joy and Sorrow

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

The joy of Christmas contrasts the anguish of loss this week. The merriment of celebration is subdued by the pain of sorrow. The promise of Messiah now contrasts with the dire depravity of man. That God so loved the world is the more striking when the deplorable inhumanity of one of our own is so vividly displayed. We have grown to expect the butchering of children in history books about dark ages or dark continents, perhaps even in some backward culture with suicide bombers targeting school children, but not in Newtown Connecticut, not in our civilized society. In the anguish and sorrow, in the shock and dismay, do not let the contrast be lost; mankind did indeed need a Saviour, a Messiah, an Emmanuel, a Lord; and God did indeed 'so love' that he gave his only begotten son. There was no room for him in this depraved world, and he was born in a barn. It is meet that the Lamb that taketh away the sin of the world was there worshiped by a few shepherds. Fitting that the King of kings was worshiped then by only a few kings from the East. While we press toward the celebration of the birth of God's Only Begotten Son there is a cruel shadow of man's inhumanity and depravity emanating from Connecticut, but from there is also a somber chord of compassion struck, which rings out to every feeling soul. The world's dire need for a redeemer is the more manifest. Celebrate the Messiah's arrival and incorporate any grief and dismay, mixed well with Christian compassion, to touch the hurting world we live in. Use even this tragedy to make a more manifest presentation of His gospel to those effected by it. And consider that all humans are effected by it.

An Essay from week # 51, Sunday, December 16, 2012

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