Steven D. Mathewson from Helena, Montana, shares the following dramatic true story.
Paul Harvey tells a story about Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry “Butch” O’Hare, the Navy’s number-one ace in the Second World War and the first naval aviator ever to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is named for him. What “Butch” O’Hare became, however, was made possible because someone else paid a great price.
That someone else was Butch’s father, Edward J. O’Hare, a slick lawyer for the gangster Al Capone. “Artful Eddie,” as he was known, had money and power, but one day he squealed on Capone. The reason for this sudden change of heart? He wanted to give his son a break, he said. Before long, the mob silenced Artful Eddie with two shotgun blasts.
But because of Eddie’s courageous change of heart, his son Butch was accepted at Annapolis: Eddie’s confession and subsequent death satisfied admissions people that the family’s mob connections were severed. Artful Eddie paid with his own life for his son’s chance to make good, something that Jesus Christ did for each of us on the Cross.
We will share in Holy Communion this Sunday morning to remember Jesus Christ’s great sacrifice for us. He paid the terrible price for sin that you and I could never pay. He laid down his life – His body was broken, His blood was shed – that we might live, both an abundant life now and eternal life forevermore.
Peter declared, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). On Good Friday, the murderer and insurrectionist Barabbas was set free and Jesus was crucified. In the same way, He is my great Substitute. Praise the glorious name of Jesus that He was willing to take my place!
We will continue our study series, Seven Letters to your Church, this Sunday, November 1, with Jesus’ message to the church in Sardis, The Church of the Living Dead (Revelation 3:1-6). Please don’t miss it, and please invite someone to share it with you! (Come early and be part of Bible Study classes for all ages at 9:30am.)
If you are not able to join us in person at 10:35am for the worship service, then be sure to join us online for the Live broadcast on Facebook. It will also be posted later that day at our Website and YouTube channel. We missed the Live broadcast this past Sunday but it will be back next week.
Note: Men’s Breakfast is coming up on Saturday, November 21, at 9am. Men, be sure to mark your calendar because you don’t want to miss that morning of ono-licious kaukau and good fellowship.
We have a new ministry starting, “Ohana Talk Story”. Led by Roy Nakashima, it is a phone outreach to those who are not able to join us for worship in person. We want you to know that you are a valuable part of this church Ohana and you are not forgotten. Roy and his team will be giving you a call to greet and pray with you.
Shirley and I want to give a Big “Mahalo nui loa” to everyone for your gifts of money and kind words in honor of Pastor Appreciation month. We are humbled and overwhelmed by your kindness and generosity. Please keep praying for us, as we will continue to pray for you. We are laborers together for the Kingdom of God.
Mahalo and Aloha ke Akua!