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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:
What Did Saul "See"
While Blind? (Jarrod Jacobs)
Two "Churches Of
Christ"? (Steve Wallace)
Sermon Outlines:
Noteworthy News:
The more things change...
What Did Saul "See" While Blind? (Acts 9:9)
Jarrod Jacobs
And he was three days
without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (Acts 9:9)
1) Though sincere in his
beliefs (Acts 26:9), he was “sincerely” wrong!
2) Certain things are a “must” with God (Acts 9:6). It is not left up to
man to choose his own “path” to Heaven! (Matthew 7:13-14)
3) His faith alone in Christ was not enough to save him. He needed to be
baptized in order to be saved (Acts 22:16).
4) You cannot separate Christ from His church, for when you fight against
the church of Christ, you fight against Christ (Acts 8:1, 3, 9:2, 4-5).
-Jarrod Jacobs
Southside church of Christ bulletin
(http://www.southside-churchofchrist.com/)
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Two "Churches Of Christ"?
Steve Wallace
While
speaking to the elders of the church at Ephesus Paul said, “Also of your own
selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples
after them” (Acts 20:30). When this came to pass, it would result in at
least two groups emerging from what had been the church at Ephesus: those
who continued to faithfully follow the Lord, and those who followed after
men. Further, it is often the case that those who apostatize continue to
profess religion (Cf. 1 Kgs. 12:26-33; 2 Thess. 2:3, 4). If this happened at
Ephesus, the result would be two churches in town--one right and the other
wrong. If you came to Ephesus, how would you decide which church to be a
part of? Remember, both could trace their origins to the apostle Paul’s
preaching. The only thing you could do is take your Bible out and see which
one was keeping harmony with it.
1. Such things as “First Principles” and the “Church Name” would be
insufficient standards to measure by. Inasmuch as Christians would be
drawing away disciples from “the flock” of v. 29, the two groups could both
consist of baptized believers and teach the truth on how one is saved from
sin. They could both call themselves “the Church of Christ.” Modern day
Christian churches which baptize believers and take on the name of “Church
of Christ” (many do) show that such a scenario is not farfetched. The simple
point that we seek to make here is that one can follow men and still teach
parts of God’s will. In such instances one cannot say someone is wrong for
teaching what truth they do. They are wrong wherein they have departed from
the truth and followed men.
2. You would
have to compare what each church is teaching with the New Testament.
Inasmuch as Paul expounded “all the counsel of God” to the brethren there at
Ephesus (v. 27), you would want the same in your seeking the true church.
You would want to hear what a church taught with reference to such moral
questions as drunkenness, homosexuality, divorce and remarriage, etc., and
compare it with the Scriptures (Matt. 19:8, 9; 1 Cor. 6:9, 10). This would
also be the case in doctrinal matters. You would open your Bible to compare
what is written therein to what a given church taught. Jesus’ words of
Matthew 15:9 tell us that His word must be taught on all matters: “But in
vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
3. You would
have to compare each church’s activities with the New Testament. The Bible
teaches us the danger of “saying and doing not” (Matt. 23:3; Titus 1:16). We
realize, therefore, that it is not enough for a group of brethren to simply
claim to be a true church, or to say that they recognize Christ as their
head, or to profess belief in the Bible principles such as the oversight of
elders, or the autonomy of the local church, etc. When it came to the
church’s activities, you would want book, chapter, and verse for everything
the church was involved in (Col. 3:17; Acts 20:32; 2 Jn. 9). This is born of
the realization that Christ can only be “head over all things” to a church
if that church submits to Him in all things (Eph. 1:22, 23).
Conclusion
Such a scenario as we have sought to picture in this article exists today.
Churches of Christ exist that teach and practice different things from one
another. Do you want to be just a Christian? Do you want to be just a member
of Jesus’ church and nothing more? Please, follow the steps we have outlined
herein.
-(http://www.biblework.com/)
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Understanding Authority
Scripture Reading:
Matthew 8:5-13
Contrast
the faith of the centurion & the “sons of the kingdom”
(8:10-12):
–
Great faith, but not in Israel (8:10).
– Gentile inclusion into the kingdom due to faith (8:11).
– Sons of the kingdom (Jews) cast out for lack of faith (8:12).
I. THE RIGHTS OF AUTHORITY,
Matt. 8:8-9 (Lk. 7:7-8); Matt. 28:18. -JESUS-
A.
The One with Authority has the Right to Rule, 8:9; Psa. 2:6-7, 10-12; Eph.
1:21-23.
B. The One with Authority has the Right to Bless, 8:8 (Rom. 13:3-4); Jno.
17:2.
C. The One with Authority has the Right to Judge, 8:9; (Jno. 19:10); Jno.
5:26-29.
Lesson: Our faith must acknowledge Christ possesses the right
(power) to rule, to bless & to judge our submission to Him (His will).
II. SUBMISSION TO AUTHORITY,
Matt. 8:8-9; Lk. 7:7-8.
A.
Some are not Willing to Submit to Authority; 2 Kgs. 5:1, 9-14; 1 Sam.
15:13-14, 19; Isa. 30:8-11.
B. Some Willingly Yield to Authority, Matt. 8:8; Jno. 9:6-7; Acts 26:19.
Lesson: We will receive the blessings of faith from the
authoritative one (Christ) only by submitting to His authority, Matt. 8:8,
13; 28:18-20; 7:21.
III. FAITH AND AUTHORITY.
A.
Living by Faith is Respecting & Obeying Divine Authority, Jno. 12:48-50;
Rom. 10:17 (8).
B. Shall we be Faithless or Believing? Matt. 8:12-13
Lesson: Living by faith is really a question of whether we will
submit to the authority of Christ in all things! (Col. 3:17; Matt. 7:21-23)
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
"Stop trying to make it to heaven!"
Scripture Reading:
John
6:25-29
1. A preacher recently
said from his pulpit, “stop trying to go to heaven!”
2. Now, I understand he was trying to say that sinners cannot earn (merit)
their salvation, but his application was that there is nothing you can do
that affects your salvation – that you must simply and only believe.
3. He also said: “heaven is not a reward” (for your good deeds), Psa.
19:11, Heb. 11:6 (Matt. 5:12; Heb. 10:35; Rev. 22:12)
4. Obeying Jesus is not earning heaven (Lk. 17:8-10; Eph. 2:8-9).
5. If we should “stop trying to get to heaven,”
then there are other things we should also “stop trying to do” ----
I.
STOP TRYING TO OBEY JESUS,
Heb. 5:8-9.
II. STOP TRYING TO “WORK OUT OUR OWN SALVATION,”
Phil. 2:12-13.
III. STOP PRESSING TOWARD THE GOAL OF HEAVEN,
Phil. 3:11-16.
IV. STOP HEARING & FOLLOWING JESUS,
Jno. 10:27-28 (3-5); 8:51 (12, 31-32).
V.
STOP LABORING FOR THE FOOD THAT ENDURES TO EVERLASTING LIFE,
6:26-29.
VI. STOP EXPECTING TO REAP WHAT WE SOW,
Gal. 6:7-9.
VII. STOP WALKING IN GOOD WORKS,
Eph. 2:10 (2 Cor. 5:17); cf. Rev. 14:13.
VIII. STOP ENDURING THE TRIALS OF LIFE,
Heb. 12:1-2 (1 Cor. 9:24-27).
IX. STOP SEEKING A HOMELAND,
Heb. 11:13-16.
Heaven is the reward of the faithful – not because they earn it – but
because they trust (believe) Jesus and follow (obey) Him, 2 Jno. 8; Jas.
1:12.
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NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the
light of Scripture)
The more
things change...
Joe R. Price
I didn’t get usual dose of
news over the past month due to unexpected travel to be with my ailing
mother. But, the news I did absorb reminds me of the old adage, “The more
things change, the more they stay the same.” News reports of war, politics,
crime and riots, diseases, etc. – all of these make it evident there is
“nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9).
There are some
unchangeable things that reinforce faith and assure our hope. Among these
are:
1. God’s character:
“For I am the LORD, I do not change” (Mal. 3:6). Man’s character
fluctuates; God’s is constant. Thus, Moses wrote, “God is not a man,
that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said,
and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will he not make it good?”
(Num. 23:19) God’s integrity of character is unblemished and worthy of our
reverence: He is holy, just and eternal (1 Pet. 1:17; Psa. 7:11; 1 Jno.
1:9; Psa. 90:2).
2. God’s counsel:
“Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise
the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two
immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have
strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set
before us” (Heb. 6:17-18). By His oath, God has shown the redeemed
(heirs of the promise) that their hope is secure; His promise of salvation
is confirmed.
3.
Christ’s priesthood: “But He, because He continues forever, has an
unchangeable priesthood” (Heb. 7:24). His priesthood does not pass to
another; and being eternal, He is continually able “to save to the uttermost
those who come to God through Him” (Heb. 7:25).
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