Help a Brother Out!

This summer Jamie and I mapped out a plan to run in a 10-mile adventure race in Georgia on Saturday, October 13^th. Our friend Elizabeth B joined in, as well. So for the last few months we have been training for the challenge. Race-day finally arrived this weekend and we traveled over to Cumming, Georgia and competed in the Frogtown Trail Challenge (www.frogtowntrailchallenge.com). I have to tell you that it was the coolest, most enjoyable race we’ve ever run. When they say that the race will involve “ditch jumping, log hopping, creek crossing, stream running, mountain climbing, branch dodging, trail tredging, mud meddling” they aren’t kidding! We did all that, and more. If you’re a runner and are looking for a fun, challenging change-of-pace, I highly recommend this trek. It’ll be like nothing you’ve done before.

Knowing that I might become a casualty of the race (e.g. ankle-twist, face-plant, dehydration, etc.), I asked my friend Nick Birdsong to preach for me on Sunday just in case. Other than getting stung by some yellow jackets along the way, I suffered no harm and arrived at the finish line unscathed. But, boy am I glad I asked Nick to preach for me!!! He hit a grand slam (spiritually speaking) and my soul was greatly encouraged by his message from Luke 8:22-25 (“Who Can This Be?”). His sermon was exegetically precise: I. The Situation, II. The Solution, III. Two Searching Questions. His articulation was clear for everyone to understand: It CAME. They CRIED. He CONQUERED. There was CALM. The principles he stated were timeless and true: > “You’ll never know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.” > “Coming to Jesus is always the best idea.” > “There is no calm without Christ.” His applications were spot-on: 1) Expect the unexpected. 2) Come to Jesus first! 3) Call on Jesus. 4) Expect Jesus to come through.

And though all of those aspects of his message were excellent and very helpful, none of them blessed my soul more than the first words he spoke to Redeemer Church when he stepped behind the pulpit. His first words to us were: 1) I appreciate you. 2) I love you. 3) I need you. He clearly and passionately explained what he meant on each of those points. To see and hear a Christian brother express his appreciation, affection, and dependence on the church of Jesus Christ was one of the most exhilarating moments for me so far in this young church plant. My soul was stirred and my heart rejoiced. Christians need each other. We need fellowship, prayer, encouragement, and camaraderie. We need LOVE! And it was so good to hear someone joyfully, emotionally express this fact. So Nick, I thank you: not just for preaching in my place, but for expressing what deep-down-inside we all know: we need each other.

Thanks for helping a brother out.

by Ryan Limbaugh