Middleburg community church

06/07/2026

My Doctor Makes House Calls 6/7/26

05/31/2026

The Mystery of Mysteries 05/31/2026

05/28/2026

SOME THOUGHTS ON GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

In the second book of Samuel, chapter 7, the people had firmly established David as king in Jerusalem, and he built himself a very nice home. But then he felt some conviction:

“Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent” (2 Samuel 7:2).

He wanted to build a house for God. David’s desire pleased God, who responded with this promise:

“The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you” (2 Samuel 7:11).

Sadly, things didn’t turn out the way David thought they would. In 586 B.C., the Babylonians destroyed the city of Jerusalem, blinded the king—David’s distant son—and took him back to Babylon. This appeared to be the end of David’s dynasty and was a terrible shock to everyone who had believed God’s promise.

Centuries later, however, Mary gave birth to Jesus, the son of David (Matthew 1:1). The angel said to Mary, “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David...his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:31-33). So when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, the people shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David" (Matthew 21:9), and "Blessed is the king of Israel!" (John 12:13). God was fulfilling His promise to David.

David wanted to build a physical house for God, but God would build David an everlasting household. What God’s people didn't know and couldn't understand was that David’s messianic Son had been ruling from heaven’s throne since before the beginning of time. From a human perspective, the collapse of David’s dynasty was a theological disaster. But from heaven’s perspective, this was no problem at all. David’s Son was the eternal king of heaven and earth—He just hadn’t been born yet.

The promises of God find their ultimate fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). God gave David an everlasting dynasty through his great-great-grandson, Jesus Christ. And when Jesus returns, His kingdom will surpass David’s kingdom in every possible way, and it will never end. God always keeps His promises, even when they seem to fail.

Trust in God’s faithfulness, my friends!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

05/28/2026

05/24/2026

"We Never Stand Alone"

05/22/2026

SOME THOUGHTS ON YEARNING FOR FORGIVENESS

King David’s sin with Bathsheba wasn’t the first time he sinned. Looking back on his life, David could not recall a time when he wasn’t a sinner. In verses 5 and 6 of Psalm 51, David concluded that his sinfulness began the moment he was conceived.

This is true for all of us, for we’re all descendants of Adam and Eve—the first human sinners. Their righteous natures were corrupted by sin and passed down from generation to generation. The infection of sin is so pervasive that not only are we sinners by nature, but also by choice. We’re ALL inclined toward sin.

Sinning is so prevalent in our nature that not only do we enjoy it, we’re also skilled at it. In our sinful state, we have more in common with the devil than we do with Jesus. But by His grace, Jesus bore our penalties so that we could be forgiven.

David yearned for forgiveness:

“Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7).

Hyssop is a small plant that could be dipped in water and used in a cleansing ceremony. David was convinced that if God would cleanse him, he’d be whiter than snow. In fact, the words “cleanse me” in this instance can also be translated “un-sin me.” God’s forgiveness is so complete, it’s as if we had never sinned.

David discovered that murder is a difficult transgression to get over, and those who abort their babies often struggle terribly. But God is so good that not only does He want to forgive us, He also longs to help us recover. That’s why He offers to “un-sin” us.

After asking God to forgive him, David wondered if anything good could come from his sin. When he recalled others' struggles with their sins, he surmised that if he could find his way back to God, he could also help others do the same:

“Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you” (Psalm 51:13).

In writing this psalm, David helped countless sinners find their way back to the God who loves them—and assured its readers that if God forgave David, then God can forgive them.

Do you yearn for forgiveness, my friends? Confess, repent, and ask God to “cleanse” or “un-sin” you!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

05/18/2026

SOME THOUGHTS ON HOW TO RESPOND WHEN LIFE HURTS

How do you respond when life hurts? The Old Testament character Job is a tragic figure whose life experiences heartache and loss. However, what makes Job remarkable is his response, even when those who "love" him the most urge him to "curse God and die." In Job chapter 1, Job's response to tragedy and heartache is uncharacteristic:

“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: 'Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.' In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (Job 1:20, 21).

Even in his devastation, Job chose to worship God instead of cursing Him. Praising God in heaven is easier than praising Him on earth. And praising God when things go right is easier than praising Him when things go wrong. By worshiping God in the face of loss, Job brought more glory to God than the angels above.

Job was able to respond this way because he understood two important things: First, everything he had on earth was only temporary. “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart,” he said. Job came into the world with nothing, and he would leave with nothing. The more important thing that Job had was God.

Second, Job understood that God was in control of his loss. “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away,” he said. Job wasn't in the hands of fate, chance, or the devil. He was in the hands of a good and loving God who is always worthy of praise. So even in the midst of loss, Job gave praise to God.

Whenever evil strikes, it may seem like God isn’t doing His job—or is doing it badly. And if the disaster is overwhelming, we might even think that God is evil. No matter how things appear, however, we must trust that God is good and is doing something good for us.

Trust in the goodness of God, my friends!

Bishop Jeff Greenway