Gospel Meeting

Mt. Baker  church of Christ
Gospel Meeting

April 27–May 2, 2008

Evangelist
Brett Hogland
(Lubbock, Texas)

Bible lessons nightly, Mon-Fri at 7:00 PM
Sunday, April 27 at 9:30 & 10:30 AM; 6:00 PM     

(From I-5 take Exit # 255 and go East 4.2 miles)
For more information please call (360) 752-2692

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What is Righteousness?
Joe R. Price

The Bible says a great deal about righteousness. Broadly stated, righteousness describes “the state of him who is such as he ought to be…the condition acceptable to God” (Thayer). Righteousness is “the character or quality of being right or just” and was formerly spelled “rightwiseness” (Vine). In Acts 10:34-35 we are assured that God accepts all who fear him and work righteousness. 

In the strict sense of sinlessness, the Bible says “there is none righteous, no not one” (Rom. 3:10). This statement affirms that “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23). But, when Paul urged Timothy to pursue righteousness he was not telling him to run after something that could not be attained (2 Tim. 2:22). In the gospel of Christ, God reveals how he saves sinners and pronounces them righteous (upright or just) in His sight (Rom. 1:16-17). When a sinner believes and obeys the gospel of Christ, his faith is accounted to him for righteousness (Rom. 4:5). 

The Bible describes people as righteous, not because they never sin, but because they trust God and obey his word in faith. For instance, Zacharias and Elizabeth, the parents of John, were “both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Lk. 1:6). Righteous people live by faith, like Abel who “by faith offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts” (Heb. 11:4). 

A righteous person is one whose way of thinking, feeling and acting is completely conformed to the will of God. The righteous person respects the revealed word of God as the only valid standard of righteousness: “The judgments of God are true and righteous altogether;” and, “my tongue shall speak of your word, for all your commandments are righteousness” (Psa. 19:9; 119:172). The inspired word of God provides “instruction in righteousness” as it convicts the world of sin and righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16; Jno. 16:8, 13).

The righteous person lives by faith with an upright heart because he is “filled with the fruits of righteousness” (Phil. 1:11). The righteous person treats others with honesty, justice and fairness. Honor, duty, devotion and piety are among the fruits of righteousness. (Thayer adds “integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting” to the definition of righteousness.) The righteous person is blameless and innocent in his dealings with others. He treats others the way he wants to be treated and shows integrity in all things (Matt. 7:12; Prov. 24:29).

-From Building Bible Character

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6)

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS

The Gathering Beyond the Grave

1. One day it will be my turn, and yours, to leave all and keep our appointment with death, Heb. 9:27; Psa. 90:10.
2. Day of gathering: Greatest assembly ever to be gathered, Matt. 25:31-32; Rev. 20:11-15; 1 Ths. 4:13-18.

I. A SUDDEN GATHERING, 1 Cor. 15:51-52.

  A. For the Saint:
    1. On schedule, Jno. 14:1-3; Phil. 3:20-21.
    2. To safety, 1 Ths. 4:17; cf. Heb. 13:5.
  B. For the Sinner:
    1. By surprise, 1 Ths. 5:1-6; Matt. 24:42-44.
    2. Unto destruction, 2 Ths. 1:7-9.

II.   A SERIOUS GATHERING, Rom. 14:11-12.

  A. For the Saint:
    1. Confess to God, Rom. 14:11.
    2. To give account, 14:12; Matt. 25:34-40.
    3. To receive reward, Heb. 2:2; Ro. 2:7, 10
  B. For the Sinner:
    1. Confess to God, Rom. 14:11.
    2. To give account, 1 Pet. 4:5; Mt. 25:41-45
    3. To receive reward, Rom. 2:5-6, 8-9.

III. A SEPARATING GATHERING, Matt. 25: 32-33; Rev. 20:12 (Judgment).

  A. For the Saint:
    1. From all sin, Rev. 21:27; 2 Pet. 3:13.
    2. From all sorrow, Rev. 21:3-5.
  B. For the Sinner:
    1. From those loved, Lk. 16:26; Rev. 20:15.
    2. From the Lord, Matt. 7:21-23; 2 Ths. 1:9.

IV. A SENTENCING GATHERING.

  A. For the Saint:
    1. To heaven, Jno. 14:2-3; Matt. 25:21, 34.
    2. To happiness, Rev. 21:4; 22:1-5.
  B. For the Sinner:
    1. To hell, Matt. 25:29-30; Rev. 20:14-15.
    2. To horror, Rev. 14:10-11.

Conclusion – Hear the warning! Rev. 14:6-7

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS

Animal Sense

1. We can learn many things by observing the animal world (Matt. 6:26; 10:16).
2. Prov. 30:24-28: Four small animals that teach us large lessons of wisdom.

I. ANTS: WORK FOR THE NIGHT IS COMING, 30:25.

  A. Like the Ant, We Must Redeem Our Time, Prov. 6:6-11; Jno. 9:4; Eph. 5:15-16; Col. 4:5.
  B. Like the Ant, Teamwork is Crucial (Neh. 4:7-23).
  C. Like the Ant, We must not Grow Weary, Gal. 6:9 (2 Ths. 3:13); Jno. 9:4.

II. ROCK BADGERS: USE THE LORD'S PROTECTION, 30:26 (Psa. 104:18).

  A. We Live in Dangerous Terrain, but God is Our Rock of Protection, Psa. 18:1-6, 30-31 (31:1-3); 1 Cor. 10:12-13; Eph. 6:13-17.
    1. We need the protection of truth, Jno. 6:68.
    2. We need the protection of faith, 1 Jno. 5:4.
    3. We need the protection of hope, 1 Ths. 5:8.

III. LOCUST: THE POWER OF UNITY, 30:27; Joel 2:3-9. (Eph. 4:3)

  A. The Excellency and Achievements of Unity, 1 Cor. 1:10 (Jno. 17:20-21; Acts 4:32-33; Rom. 12:9-16; 14:19; 15:5-6; Phil. 2:1-2.

IV. SPIDER: BOLDNESS TO FACE LIFE'S CHALLENG­ES, 30:28 (14:26).

  A. Challenges of Life Require Boldness, Heb. 10:19-22; 4:16; 13:5-6; Acts 4:13, 31; 1 Jno. 4:17; 2 Tim. 1:7.

Conclusion

1. These small animals show us the wise ad­vantages of work, of divine protection, of unity and of boldness.
2. Now it is up to us to put these qualities into our lives and live wisely.

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NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

Moses High on Mount Sinai
Joe R. Price

According to Benny Shanon, professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Moses was most likely under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs when he received the Ten Commandments from God on Mt. Sinai (and also at the burning bush, Exo. 3).

“’As far as Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don't believe, or a legend, which I don't believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics," Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday.’” (“Moses was high on drugs, Israeli researcher Says”, ABC News, March 5, 2008)

What is his “proof”? Well, Shanon says two plants in the Sinai desert have mind-altering properties. And, since he rejects miracles, this must explain why the Israelites saw thunder, etc. (see Exo. 20:18).

“The thunder, lightning and blaring of a trumpet which the Book of Exodus says emanated from Mount Sinai could just have been the imaginings of a people in an "altered state of awareness," Shanon hypothesised.” (“High on Mount Sinai,” Reuters.com)

     Please note that Shanon is offering a hypothesis – a theory, an assumption, a guess – nothing more.

     As for the Biblical explanation, Israel (including Moses) saw the evidence of Almighty God’s presence and power (thundering, lightning, trumpet sounds, smoke from the mountain, Exo. 20:18). Plus, the heard the voice of God speak the commandments (Exo. 20:1, 19).

     If Shanon is correct then Moses, who wrote Exodus, is a liar. Moses wrote that God spoke to the assembly at Sinai, “when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire…” (Deut. 5:22-23).

     By the way, Shanon says he has taken a mind-altering drug (similar to the Sinai plants) about 160 times. Hum. Sounds like his mind has been altered from the truth: “evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13). Indeed.

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