02 50 Years & Counting

50^th Anniversary

Part 2: What I’ve Learned Along the Way

By Louie Marsh, 6-22-2025

 

Intro – Last slide me preaching at ordination.

 

1) People will surprise you…

 

· In GOOD WAYS.

 

“⁵and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” ⁶So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, ⁷for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.” (Exodus 36:5–7, ESV)

 

On January 13, 1982, the Boeing 737-200 that executed the flight, registered as N62AF, crashed into the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River just after takeoff from Washington National Airport.

 

Striking the bridge, which carries Interstate 395 between Washington, D.C., and Arlington County, Virginia, it hit seven occupied vehicles and destroyed 97 feet (30 m) of guard rail  before plunging through the ice into the Potomac River. The aircraft was carrying 74 passengers and five crew members. Only four passengers and one crew member (flight attendant Kelly Duncan) were rescued from the crash and survived.

 

 Another passenger, Arland D. Williams Jr., assisted in the rescue of the survivors, but drowned before he could be rescued. Four motorists on the bridge were killed. The survivors were rescued from the icy river by civilians and professionals.

 

· & in very BAD WAYS.

 

“²³Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. ²⁴But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people ²⁵and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.” (John 2:23–25, ESV)

 

2) God is SNEAKY

 

· He tends to take us THROUGH things, not around them.

 

“³⁹And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.””…“⁴²Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”” (Matthew 26:39,42, ESV)

 

 “¹⁹For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. ²¹For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:19–21, ESV)

 

· He seems to enjoy staying HIDDEN.

 

“¹⁸The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18, ESV)

 

“¹⁵Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.” (Isaiah 45:15, ESV)

 

3) The Gospel is PROFOUNDLY SIMPLE

 

“¹Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, ²and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. ³For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁵and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” (1 Corinthians 15:1–5, ESV)

 

· Our real strength is mostly found in SIMPLICITY.

 

Jesus Loves Me" is a Christian hymn written by Anna Bartlett Warner (1827–1915). The lyrics first appeared as a poem in the context of an 1860 novel called Say and Seal, written by her older sister Susan Warner (1819–1885), in which the words were spoken as a comforting poem to a dying child. The tune was added in 1862 by William Batchelder Bradbury (1816–1868). Along with his tune, Bradbury added his own chorus "Yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus Loves me..."

 

4) The Bible is the ULTIMATE TRUTH about God & His Will.

 

“¹⁶All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV)

 

· Accepting this deep in my heart makes most moral decisions CLEAR.

 

“¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105, ESV)

 

· Knowing the truth in advance gives me PEACE OF MIND.

 

“¹⁶⁵Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” (Psalm 119:165, ESV)