And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17
THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD
Volume 15, Number
08
04/08/2012
Published
by
Mt. Baker
church of Christ
Location:
1860 Mt. Baker HWY
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 30821
Bellingham, WA 98228
(360) 752-2692
Sunday:
Bible Classes..........9:30 AM
Worship..10:30AM; 6:00PM
Wednesday:
Bible Classes.........7:00 PM
All sing last Wednesday
Web sites:
Mt. Baker church
Bible Answers
Editor......Joe R. Price
Elders
Morris Bass
Rick Holt
Deacons
Aaron Bass
Rich Brooks
Mike Finn
Dan Head
In this issue:
Gospel Meeting April 29 - May 4, 2012
Mt.
Baker church
of Christ
Gospel Meeting
Mark Mayberry
(Alvin, Texas)
April 29 – May 4, 2012
Monday-Friday at
7:00 PM
Sunday, April 29th at 9:30 and 10:30 AM; 6:00 PM
Theme: Lessons in Courage
Sunday Class: A Call to Courage
Sunday AM: The Courage of Joshua
Sunday PM: The Courage of David
Monday: The Courage of Asa and Micah
Tuesday: The Courage of Haggai and Zerubabbel
Wednesday: The Courage of Ezra and the People
Thursday: The Courage of Jesus Christ
Friday: The Courage of Disciples
(From I-5 take
Exit # 255 and go East 4.2 miles)
For more information please call (360) 752-2692
Easter Sunday
Joe R. Price
Easter Sunday, the "Feast of the Resurrection", is "the principal feast of the ecclesiastical year" for the Roman Catholic ("Easter", New Advent Encyclopedia). Protestant denominations and non-denominational churches also celebrate Easter with everything from sunrise services to chocolate tasting and Easter egg hunts. (We are told to remember the "true meaning of Easter" -- not unlike the Christmas season.)
Churches of Christ do not celebrate Easter as a "holy day" - not because we fail to believe in the resurrection of Christ - far from it. The New Testament of Christ, while recording the wonderful events of His resurrection that powerfully declared Him to be the Son of God (Rom. 1:4), does not teach or sanction a feast day honoring that event. We reject any such additions to God's word. Because we cannot put our finger on the NT passage that authorizes this religious holiday, we will not go beyond the Scriptures and do what God does not approve (1 Cor. 4:6; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Col. 3:17; 2 John 9-11).
The religious holy day Easter is admittedly absent from the pages of the New Testament. The New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia notes, "In any case it must be admitted that while in the New Testament we have definite mention of the observance of the Sunday, or 'Lord's Day', there is no conclusive evidence in the first century or more of the keeping of the Pasch as a festival" ("Easter Controversy", New Advent Encyclopedia). The same Catholic source says, "Commemorating the slaying of the true Lamb of God and the Resurrection of Christ, the corner-stone upon which faith is built, it is also the oldest feast of the Christian Church, as old as Christianity, the connecting link between the Old and New Testaments. That the Apostolic Fathers do not mention it and that we first hear of it principally through the controversy of the Quartodecimans (the last half of the second century, jrp) are purely accidental" (op. cit.). Imagine that. They accidentally failed to mention the "principal feast" of Christianity in their writings until the middle of the second century! Dear reader, it is no accident this feast is absent from the NT and early writers.
There was no mention of this feast because men began to celebrate it, speak of it and write of it long after the days of inspiration. The authority to celebrate Easter in honor of Christ's resurrection rests entirely upon the will and traditions of men - not upon the word and will of Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18-20; Col. 2:2, 21-23). Easter derives its place of importance from men, not from God. It pleases men, but it does not please God (Gal. 1:6-10). "In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men" (Matt. 15:9).
As time passed beyond the second century, the traditions of the Feast of the Resurrection were eventually wedded to pagan traditions that celebrated the renewal of life each spring. Eastre, the Saxon goddess of spring and fertility, was worshiped with a festival each spring. As the pagans watched springtime break and overtake the frozen death of winter they sacrificed to Eastre in honor of the life she brought to the earth. The word "Easter" derives from this pagan source; not the divine word of God.
Do we believe Jesus rose from the dead? Absolutely! Does that compel us to celebrate "Easter Sunday"? No. God only accepts worship in spirit and in truth. Easter is the result of human traditions, not divine truth.
You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
Why it Matters
Scripture Reading: Acts 20:17-24
1. Does it
matter what you believe and live?
a.
"Different interpretations", Eph. 5:17.
b.
"God's love", Matt. 7:21-23.
c. "We
all believe in Christ's resurrection of Christ", 1 Cor. 4:6; Col. 2:21-23.
d. "We
are all in the church", 1 Cor. 1:10.
2. Book of Acts tells us why it matters.
I. THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD.
A. Because
the Fulfillment of God's Promise Matters, Acts 2:36-41 (39); Gen. 12:3; Gal.
3:8-9, 14; Acts 13:23-41 (38-39).
B.
Because Salvation from Sin Matters, Acts 2:36-41 (47).
C.
Because the Authority of Christ to Save Us Matters, Acts 3:6, 11-17; 4:7-12,
13-20.
II. WHEN CHRISTIANS SIN.
A. Because
Sin is Known and Punished by God, Acts 5:1-11.
B.
Because Sin in a New Christian is not Overlooked, Acts 8:14-24.
III. WHEN FALSE TEACHERS COME WITH THEIR FALSE TEACHINGS.
A. Because
Error must be Identified, Resisted and not Given Fellowship, Acts 15:1-5;
Gal. 2:1-5; 2 Jno. 9-11.
B.
Because Faithful Ones Must be Warned of Potential and Future Error, Acts
20:17, 20, 26-32.
IV. CHRISTIANS ARE PERSECUTED.
A. Because
We Must Obey God Rather than Men, Acts 5:27-32, 40-42; 26:9-11.
B.
Because We Must Share in the Suffering of Christ, Acts 9:16; 21:10-14; Phil.
3:7-11.
You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
The Choices of Cain
Scripture Reading: Genesis 4:1-8
1. Cain
means "acquire" (Gen. 4:1).
2. Warned about the way of Cain, Jude 11.
3. Cain chose his path; we choose ours.
I. CAIN CHOSE TO OFFER GOD VAIN WORSHIP, Gen. 4:3-5.
A. He
did not Sacrifice in Faith, Heb. 11:4; Col. 2:23; Matt. 15:6-9.
B.
Worshiping God without Divine Authority in Vain, Jno. 4:23-24 (Col. 3:17).
II. CAIN CHOSE TO INCREASE HIS SIN, Gen. 4:5-8.
A.
Sin is not Forced upon us, we Choose it, Gen. 4:7; Rom. 6:4-6, 12-14.
B.
The Sins of Cain Include:
1.
Anger (furious), Gen. 4:5; Col. 3:8.
2.
Envy: Displeasure over seeing the success of another, Gen. 4:4-5 (Tit. 3:3;
Gal. 5:21).
3.
Hate: Malice, animosity, contempt, disdain: Opposite of love, 1 Jno.
3:11-12, 15.
4.
Murder: Gen. 4:8. From heart, Mk. 7:20-23.
III. CAIN CHOSE TO LIE TO GOD, Gen. 4:9.
A. Men try to Deceive and Fight against God, Heb. 4:13; Rev. 21:8.
IV. CAIN CHOSE TO LEAVE THE PRESENCE OF GOD, Gen. 4:16.
A. Cain
Chose Sin instead of Repentance, 4:7-8, 11-14 (Rom. 1:18; 2:5; 2 Ths.
1:8-9).
B.
Cain Left Lord's Presence, Gen. 4:16; Isa. 59:1-2; Heb. 6:4-6; Eccl. 12:1.
Conclusion
-Cain was
faithless (he did not know God):
a.
Thought he could worship his own way.
b.
Thought he could murder without accountability.
c.
Thought he could lie to God.
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)
Open for Discussion?
The Tennessee General Assembly passed a law this week protecting teachers in that state who allow students to criticize evolution and other scientific theories like global warming. The bill is likely to soon become law ("Tenn. governor 'probably' will sign evolution bill", YahooNews!, Lucas L. Johnson II).
"The bill says it would encourage critical thinking by protecting teachers from discipline if they help students critique 'scientific weaknesses'" (Ibid). The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and others oppose the bill, saying it is a way to inject religion into the classroom.
"State ACLU executive director Hedy Weinberg said allowing students to critique "scientific weaknesses" is language frequently used by those seeking to introduce non-scientific ideas like creationism and intelligent design into science curriculum. "No one doubts the value of critical thinking to any serious course of scientific study, but this legislation is not truly aimed at developing students' critical thinking skills" she wrote (Ibid).
So, if you question the theory of evolution as the explanation for the origin of life you do not think critically; but if you believe life came from lifeless matter you are "scientific". Wow, that's profound!
It doesn't take science to tell us "every house is built by someone" (design demands a designer, Heb. 3:4). But we are told that to question how the house (the universe in this case) was built and who built it is somehow unscientific. It is a weak case that refuses to allow its hypotheses to be challenged by evidence and reason.
The conclusion
that divine creation explains the origin of life does not contradict science
(knowledge); it contradicts what is falsely called knowledge or science (1
Tim. 6:20-21). The evidence for divine creation is greater than for
inorganic evolution (Rom. 1:20; Psa. 19:1). No wonder Darwinians and their
defenders do not want the scrutiny of critical thinking. Why? They refuse to
have God in their knowledge (Rom. 1:28).
Created by Chuck Sibbing. 04/09/2012
The Spirit's Sword is a free,
weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA
Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at:
ssword@bibleanswer.com