Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 22 October 2020

 

Let Us Gather At The River

 

“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.” (Acts 16:9-15)

 

Today’s Morsel:  The story is told of a preacher who was preaching one Sunday, and he got excited about his message and so he stated, “If I had the authority, I would take every crooked politician and lock them up."  The congregation yelled, "Lock them up, preacher, lock them up."  The preacher got more excited and said, "If I had the authority, I would take all the drugs being sold on the street and burn them in the fire."  The congregation yelled, "Burn it up preacher, burn it up."  The preacher got even more excited and stated, "If I had the authority, I would take all the alcohol, beer, and wine there is and cast it into the river."   The congregation yelled "Cast it all in preacher, cast it all in."  The sermon ended and immediately the organist and the choir started to play and sing, Shall we gather at the river, the beautiful, beautiful river…” (Humor)

When we would baptize people in the East China Sea, in Okinawa, Japan, it was not uncommon for someone to be walking along the Sea Wall and stop to observe what we were doing, and often they would see their need to be baptized too.  When Paul saw in a vision a man saying come over and help us, they did not immediately encounter the man.   But on the Sabbath day they went out of the city by a riverside, where prayer was wont to be made; and they sat down, and spoke to the women which resorted there.  And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard them, whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of by Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought them, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained them. From this little gathering at the river side, in Macedonia, during a time of prayer, the church at Philippi (Philippians) was born.  Have you been down to the river lately?  Have you been baptized in Jesus' Name?  Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation.  Don't wait, there is no day like to day!

 

Sing:  Shall we gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river.  Shall we gather at the river, the beautiful river of God.

 

Thought For Today:  Baptism doth now save us.