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"...Shepherd the flock of God which is among
you, serving as overseers..." (1 Peter 5:2)
Elders
Morris Bass, Rick Holt , Joe
Price |
"...let them serve as deacons,
being found blameless..." (1 Tim. 3:10)
Deacons
Aaron Bass, Rich Brooks, Mike Finn
John Hague, Dan Head |
"And take...the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17)
In this issue:
Why You Need to be
Baptized
Out with the Old
"Church of Christ" and in with the New "Church"
Sermon Outlines:
Noteworthy News:
A Great and Strong Wind
Why You Need to be Baptized
Joe R. Price
To be saved.......................Mark 16:16; 1
Peter 3:21
To wash away your sin...........................Acts 22:16
To be born again..................................John 3:5
To put on Christ............................Galatians 3:27
To be added to the church.......Acts 2:41, 47; 1Cor. 12:13
To enter the kingdom of God.......................John 3:5
To submit to the authority of God…...........Matthew 28:19
To obtain the remission of your sins.............Acts 2:38
To put off the body of sin..............Colossians 2:11-12
To reach the death (blood) of Christ............Romans 6:3
To be buried with Christ......................Romans 6:3-4
To be raised to walk a new life.................Romans 6:4
To go on your way rejoicing......................Acts 8:39
To obey God..................................Acts 10:47-48
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Out with the Old "Church of Christ"
and in with the New "Church"
Joe R. Price
A distressing trend has emerged among churches
of Christ. More and more congregations are removing “Christ” from their
mode of identification. We understand the church is not a denomination. We
also understand the New Testament identifies churches based on such things
as location (1 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:2) and composition (1 Ths. 1:1) as well as
on its relation to Christ (Rom. 16:16; Acts 20:28). Our concern is that
this present trend hastens the obscurity of God’s people instead of
promoting our identity with Christ and our relationship to Him.
The expression, “church of Christ” is
descriptive of possession as it identifies a church that belongs to Christ.
The phrase “churches of Christ” refers to a plurality of
congregations (Rom. 16:16). It is entirely scriptural to refer to a single
congregation of saints as a “church of Christ” – something brethren have
done in America and around the globe since the first century to this present
hour. Identification is made more difficult, if not impossible, without the
ability to recognize and distinguish. For example, without accurate names
we cannot properly identify individuals. Names distinguish among people so
they can be recognized. Similarly, the distinction between a New Testament
church and the denominations of men is sustained and served when as that
congregation of saints is identified as a church of Christ instead of
merely as “the church meets here.” (Fine, but which church, Christ’s
or men’s?)
We now hear of congregations that
simply identify themselves as the “______ Church.” Why are churches
removing their declared affinity with Christ by erasing His name from how
they identify themselves? Why is “Christ” being removed from how churches
present themselves to others and are thus recognized by others? To what end
is the name of Christ being removed from the identification of churches of
Christ? Are we to simply infer that because it is a “Church” then it must
belong to Christ?
What scriptural reasons exist for this
erasure of the name of Christ from how a church identifies itself? Does it
matter at all how a church identifies itself? Or, is it all just a matter
of expediency anyway? (1 Pet. 4:11; Col. 3:17)
While we wait for the Scripture that
shows the Lord’s approval for such erasure, please consider some of the
Scriptural ramifications of removing the name of Christ from how a church
identifies itself.
Is it a church of Christ (“a church
that belongs to Jesus Christ”) when…
·
It does
not wear His name? (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 1:2)
·
It does
not refer to itself as His church? (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:22-23;
4:4; 5:23)
·
It does
not associate itself with and glory in His name? (Acts 11:26; Eph. 3:21; 1
Pet. 4:16)
·
It does
not distinguish itself from the churches of men? (2 Cor. 6:17; 1 Pet. 2:9;
Acts 28:22)
·
It tries
to be non-confrontational by not identifying itself as a “church of
Christ”? (Rom. 16:16; Lk. 12:49-53; Mk. 8:38)
·
It is more
concerned with marketing itself to the world than with being identified with
Christ? (Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Ths. 1:6-9; 2 Ti. 4:2-4)
Churches of Christ must continue to identify
themselves with Jesus Christ in their doctrine, practice and name, lest the
light that reveals the truth of their relationship with Christ is
extinguished (2 Cor. 4:1-4).
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You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Water Baptism: Baptisms of the
Bible (Part 2)
Scripture Reading: Acts 19:1-7
Eph. 4:5: One baptism. Yet, Bible speaks
of a number of different baptisms. (Heb. 6:1-2)
I. BAPTISMS IN THE
BIBLE.
A. Israel was Baptized
into Moses in the Cloud & Sea, 1 Cor. 10:1-2 (Exo. 13: 21-22; Psa. 105:39;
Exo. 14:19-22).
-cf. Matt. 28:19; Gal. 3:26-27; Rom. 6:3-4, 17-18; (1 Cor. 10:5); 1 Cor.
10:6, 11; Gal. 5:4.
B. The Baptism of John, Lk. 3:2-6 (Mk. 1:4-8); Lk. 3:3-6 (1:7-8); cf.
Acts 19:4; Lk. 1:17; Acts 18:25-26.
-Not the final baptism, Acts 19:5.
C. Holy Spirit Baptism, Matt. 3:11; Jno. 14:16-18, 26; 15:26-27; 16:7-8,
13; Acts 1:4-5; 2:1-4; Acts 11:15.
-Not “baptism in the name of Christ” – Acts 2:38; 8:14-17; 10:47-48.
D. Baptism with Fire, Matt. 3:11 (5:22; Mk. 9:43-44); Matt. 25:41; Rev.
20:14-15; 21:8.
-Not part of Holy Spirit baptism
E. Baptism of Suffering, Mk. 10:35-40 (Lk.12:50); 10:39; 1 Cor. 4:9-13 (1
Pet. 3:14).
F. Baptism for the Dead, 1 Cor. 15:29.
II. GREAT COMMISSION
BAPTISM IS THE “ONE BAPTISM” OF EPHESIANS 4:5. (Water)
A. Prospects
(subjects): All Who Desire Salvation, Mk. 16:15; Acts 2:21 (2:37-38, 41;
22:16).
B. Its Prerequisites:
1. Faith in Jesus as Christ, Mk. 16:15-16.
2. Confess faith, Acts 8:37; Rom. 10: 9-10.
3. Repent of sins, Acts 2:38.
C. Results – Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3-4; 1 Pet. 3:21; Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12:13.
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Bible Question Box (Sept 2004)
Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 3:5-17
#1 – Will you please explain
works being burned, yet he himself will be saved in 1 Cor. 3:15?
1. 1 Cor.
3:5-15 does not condone a lukewarm lifestyle.
2. Paul continues to deal with division among Corinthian brethren that grew
out of their immature & even carnal thinking & conduct (1 Cor. 1:11-4:21).
3. 1 Cor. 3:5-15 discusses the preacher & those converted by his work
4. 1 Cor. 3:10-11: Paul (preachers) is depicted as constructing a building
composed of converters
5. 1 Cor. 3:12-15: The result of gospel preaching (laying the foundation &
building house of God)
6. 1 Cor. 3:14-15: The day of trial will reveal the outcome of the
builder’s work.
#2a – Was
Christ’s body different after his resurrection or was it the same physical
body he had before death and then changed when he was taken up into heaven?
1. Bodily
resurrection, Lk. 23:52-55; 24:1-3.
2. Jesus appeared in bodily form, not as a spirit or apparition, Lk. 24:39.
3. Bodily resurrection of Jesus was the beginning of bodily resurrection, 1
Cor. 15:20-22 (Col. 1:18).
4. “With what body will they (dead) come?” – 1 Cor. 15:35-49
#2b –
Will our bodies be identical to that of Christ’s now in heaven?
1. What we
know – 1 Jno. 3:2; Col. 3:4; Phil. 3:21 (2 Ths. 1:10).
2. What we do (pure living) – 1 Jno. 3:3; 4:17; 2 Pet. 3:10-13.
3. The resurrection of the body will equip the saints with a body to
inhabit the glories of heaven forever – 1 Cor. 15:50-54.
Conclusion – 1 Ths.
4:13-18; Jno. 5:28-29
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NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the
light of Scripture)
A Great and
Strong Wind
Joe R. Price
At this writing, hurricane Frances is beating
down on the Bahamas with 115 mph winds. Florida is directly in her path,
and our prayers are with all the hundreds of thousands who have been or will
be impacted by this devastating storm. The damage will undoubtedly be
severe. We pray the loss of life will be minimal.
The wind belongs to God (Psa. 135:7;
147:18). There was once a wind that tore into the mountains with such force
that the rocks broke in pieces (1 Kgs. 19:11). On an earlier occasion the
Lord God caused a strong east wind to blow and with it held back the Red Sea
and dried the land so that Israel gained deliverance from slavery (Exo.
14:21). In judgment, God blew His wind upon the Red Sea and it covered
Egyptian army (Gen. 15:10). With His wind He rained quail upon Israel in
the wilderness (Num. 11:31; Psa. 78:26-27). God is depicted as riding on
the wind to deliver righteous David from his enemies (2 Sam. 22:11-12; Psa.
18:10). He spoke to Job out of the whirlwind (Job 38:1). He brings a
burning wind against the wicked (Psa. 11:6). In His sovereignty, He
“makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind” (Psa.
104:3).
Considering the wind will cause belief
and trust in God, as it did for the ancient mariners:
“Those who
go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, they see the
works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises
the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the
heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of
trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at
their wits’ end. Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, and He
brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, So that its waves
are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to
their desired haven. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His
goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!”
(Psa. 107:23-31)
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