Pastor's Note - March 30 
Many of you heard about the horrific shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville. All such acts of violence are tragic. They grieve us. We are especially pained when violence and death hits “close to home” (understanding that this is a relative term). That was the case this week, with the shooting taking place at a Christian school and church. One of the victims was the young daughter of the pastor of the church associated with the school. Amazingly, it just so happens that this pastor preached a sermon several weeks ago called “Death’s Conqueror,” from John 11:28-54 and Christ’s raising of Lazarus. You can find the sermon on their Facebook page, from the March 5th service (link below). Incredibly, pastor Scruggs gives biblical counsel on how to deal with untimely death. God knew what he did not. They are living with unfathomable grief right now. And yet he stated this, regarding his suddenly-deceased daughter; “Through tears we trust that she is in the arms of Jesus who will raise her to life once again.” Violence and death are grievous. But we do not grieve without hope, because we know the heart and plan of God. Death grieves Him most of all. Jesus weeps and is angry over death. Consider what Genesis 6:11 says. We skimmed by it in last week’s sermon. The stated reason for the flood was the peoples’ corruption, and the primary evidence of their corruption was their excessive violence. Genesis 6:11; “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” The Lord hates such violence, as it brings death to people made in His image. But one day all of it will be ended in the final victory of Christ over sin, over violence, over death. His resurrection that we celebrate on Easter is a foretaste of that triumph.