|
"...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:
The Peril of an Empty
Heart
False Accusation and
Slander (Part 1)
Sermon Outlines:
Noteworthy News:
Smoking Ban
The Peril of an Empty Heart
Joe R. Price
One of the miraculous
signs Jesus worked while on earth was the casting out of unclean spirits of
those they tormented and enslaved. One such case is recorded in Matthew
12:22. When some saw His great power, they were amazed, wondering out loud
whether Jesus was the Messiah (Matt. 12:23). But the Pharisees attributed
His mighty power to Satan, thus assuring their condemnation with their
blasphemous rejection of Christ and truth (Matt. 12:24-32).
Their audacity and
faithlessness are on display when some of the scribes and Pharisees said to
Jesus, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you” (Matt. 12:38). In
this they showed their evil hearts and faithlessness, for Jesus had already
shown them many signs, and would do so again in His resurrection from the
dead (Matt. 12:39-42).
Jesus went on to observe:
“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places,
seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from
which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in
order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than
himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is
worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation”
(Matt. 12:43-45). In their continual, faithless rejection of Christ they
are like this man whose last state was worse than the first.
Had this man (who was
blessed by the removal of an unclean spirit) filled his life with faith,
there would have been no place for evil to return and reside. A heart that
is not filled with faith and truth is an open invitation for Satan to enter
and plunder the soul (cf. Jno. 13:2, 27; Acts 5:3). Such was (is) the heart
of the one who rejects Jesus as the Christ.
What do you allow to live
in your heart, now that Christ has cleansed you from an evil conscience
“with the washing of water by the word” (Heb. 10:22; Eph. 5:26)?
Christians are commanded to be “filled with the Spirit” (that is,
“let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” Eph. 5:18; Col. 3:16).
Where the word of God is found, faith can thrive (Rom. 10:17). So, “the
word of faith” must be in our heart and obeyed in our lives (Rom. 10:8;
6:17). This produces the “pure heart” from which sincere love is
expressed (1 Pet. 1:22).
Please do not reject
Christ Jesus like those who saw His miracles yet had no room in their hearts
for Him (Matt. 12:38-42; Jno. 12:37). Allow Christ to live in your heart
through faith (Eph. 3:17). Their hearts had no room for Christ. Does
ours? (Jas. 4:7-10; 1 Ths. 3:12-13; 2 Ths. 3:5).
Top
False Accusation and Slander (Part 1)
Joe R. Price
False accusation and
slander are companions. False accusation is the lie, and slander is its
effect. Both are of the devil: “You are of your father the devil, and
the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the
beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in
him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a
liar and the father of it” (Jno. 8:44). Everything God’s word says
about false accusation and slander is to be kept within this overriding
context: God is truth and the devil is the father of lies (Jno. 1:14; 14:6;
1 Jno. 1:5-7). Those who reject truth by spreading false accusations and
slander show themselves to be children of the devil; the children of God
“speak truth with his neighbor” (Jno. 8:38, 44; 1 Jno. 3:4-15; Eph.
4:25-27).
The word “devil” is
translated from the Greek word diabolos (false accuser, slanderer),
from diabollo (“to throw over or across, to send over,” thus, to
“traduce, calumniate, slander, accuse, defame,” Thayer, 135). Thus,
to slander is to throw or cast doubt against a person by false accusations
that harms or otherwise damages his credibility. The devil’s purposes are
always served by false accusations and slander.
The aim of false
accusation and slander is to defame, debilitate and destroy a faithful
person’s name, credibility and effective influence for the gospel. Those
who do not have nor value a “good name” easily and carelessly distort
good reputations with malicious gossip, misrepresentations and lies (Prov.
22:1). The devil does not have a good name, and he delights in tempting us
to use false accusation and slander to cripple the reputation of godly men
and women. We must take note of how the devil uses these tools to destroy
faith and the effective use of truth.
1) The devil has falsely
accused and slandered the name of God from Eden to this very moment.
In the devil’s lie to Eve that “you will not surely die” he impugned
the integrity of God with a slanderous judgment against God’s character:
“For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will opened, and you
will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Gen. 3:4-5).
2) The devil and his
children repeatedly lied about Jesus Christ when He was on the earth.
Lying in wait to “catch (Jesus) in something He might say,” the
scribes and Pharisees were anxious to (falsely) accuse the Son of God (Lk.
11:53-54). Although they could not convict Jesus of sin, they finally found
two liars to falsely accuse Him as part of their murderous plot (Matt.
26:59-62).
3) The devil and his
cohorts continue to falsely accuse and slander the people of God (Rev.
12:10).
Just as Job’s faith and integrity were maligned by Satan before the Lord, so
also God’s faithful ones are defamed to this present hour. Slander is a
cruel, hurtful thing, yet the righteous take comfort in the Lord’s
assurance, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say
all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be
exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted
the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:11-12).
(Continued next week
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Bible Authority (1): Its Necessity
Scripture Reading:
Psalm 119:124-128
I. WHAT IS AUTHORITY?
Matt. 21:23; Acts 1:7; cf. Jno. 1:12
II. THE PRESENCE OF AUTHORITY IS UNIVERSAL.
A.
Authority is Exercised & Submitted to Daily: Home, government, business,
school (Eph. 5:22-24; 6:1; Rom. 13:1-3; Eph. 6:5-9; Acts 22:3).
B. Authority Exists & Must Be Submitted to in the Most Important Area of
Life: Salvation of the Soul, Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:20-23; 5:24.
III. OUR NEED FOR DIVINE AUTHORITY
(Judg. 21:25).
A.
Authority in Life is Necessary Due to the Nature of God; Gen. 1:1; Jer.
23:24; Psa. 90:2; Jer. 32:17); Acts 17:24-28; Psa. 115:3.
B. Authority in Life is Necessary Due to the Nature & Needs of Man, Prov.
14:12; Jer. 10:23; Rom. 9:20-21 (Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:1-3).
C. Authority in Life is Necessary because Reconciliation with God is
Impossible without it, Eph. 1:3-11; 1 Cor. 15:1-2 (Matt. 7:21; Josh. 1:7);
Jno. 17:17; 8:32; 1 Jno. 4:1, 6).
D. We Need an Objective Standard of Authority.
-A revealed message from God, not a devised message from man, Heb.
1:1-2; 2 Pet. 1:16, 20-21; Matt. 15:6-9.
E. We Need a Standard of Authority that will…
1. Grant us fellowship with God, 1 Jno. 1:6-7 (2:3-6); 2 Jno. 9.
2. Establish & maintain unity among believers, Jno. 17:20-21 (Eph.
4:4-6; Phil. 3:16).
3. Lead the way to heaven, Matt. 7:13-14; Jno. 14:6.
Top
You can find the
complete outline of this sermon at
BIBLE ANSWERS
The Righteousness of the Kingdom (1)
Scripture Reading:
Matthew
5:17-20
1. The Sermon on the Mount
sets forth the high standard of life demanded by the King of citizens of His
kingdom (4:23).
2. Jesus fulfilled the law, Matt. 5:17-18 (Rom. 10:4).
3. Two problems with scribes & Pharisees, Matt.5:19-20:
a. Thought righteousness was achieved through keeping the LOM (law
keeping), Gal. 3:10-12.
b. Hypocritical, self-righteous approach to righteousness (Matt. 23:23).
4. The righteousness of the kingdom: Living by faith with a pure heart
(pure heart–pure life), 6:21; Rom. 1:17.
I.
OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS MUST EXCEED THAT OF THE SCRIBES & PHARISEES,
Matt. 5:20 (5:21-6:18).
A.
External Action is not the Mark of Righteousness, 5:21-48.
1. Fails to satisfy the heart, 5:8; Lk. 16:15.
2. It is self-made (self-righteous), Lk.18:9-12.
3. It glorifies itself, not God (5:16).
4. Righteousness touches disposition of heart.
B. TAKE HEED: Inspect your Devotion of Heart, Matt. 6:1-18.
1. The motive of righteousness (6:1):
a. NOT to attract people’s attention & praise, 6:2, 5, 7, 16; cf. Jno.
12:42-43; Phil. 2:21.
b. To be seen, acknowledged & approved by God, Matt. 6:4, 6, 18.
2. Objective: To be perfect (complete) like our heavenly Father, Matt.
5:48.
II. WHY YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS MATTERS.
A.
Blessings of the Kingdom, Matt. 5:3-12, 20.
B. Your Influence in the World, Matt. 5:13-16.
C. God’s Glory, Matt. 5:16 (1 Pet. 2:11-12).
Top
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the
light of Scripture)
Smoking Ban
Joe R. Price
This week, the state
of Washington passed the most restrictive regulation on public smoking in
the nation by approving Initiative 901, which prohibits smoking inside
public places and workplaces, and within 25 feet of doors, windows and
vents. The measure becomes effective in 30 days. (“Initiative 901: Smoking
ban sails to victory,” Julie Davidow, The Seattle Intelligencer)
Incentive to quit?
Some smokers see the
passage of this law as a reason to quit smoking. One smoker said, “I do
think it should pass – as a smoker…I smoked for 10 years, I quit, and when I
started again, it was in a bar” (Ibid.). Smokers certainly do need
to stop smoking: it harms their body (1 Cor. 6:19-20); its addiction
evinces the absence of self-control (Gal. 5:23); and as this person
exemplifies, its influence is worldly (1 Cor. 15:33).
A reason to violate the
law?
Some smokers will
ignore the law and violate it. Underground smoking lounges will no doubt
come into existence. The same woman smoker who agreed with the ban (above)
also said she would go to one of these!
Matter of the heart
All
of this illustrates a spiritual principle: People must first change their
hearts for their conduct to be consistent and true. Jesus said, “First
cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be
clean also” (Matt. 23:26). Until we implant God’s word into our hearts
we are likely to know God’s will, and even see the need to change our lives,
but soon forget it – or even deliberately violate it – in preference for our
own selfish will (Jas. 1:21-25).
Top
|
