And take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17
THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD
Volume 17, Number
52
07/05/2015
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:
Our Astonishing God
Jarrod Jacobs
One of the most amazing statements in the Bible is found in the book of Isaiah. “Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counselor hath taught him?” (Isa. 40:10-13). In the description of God, we see One with a strong hand; One who has measured the waters with His hand; and One who has measured the heavens with a span (the tip of your little finger to the tip of your thumb)! Of course, this is figurative language used to describe God. Nevertheless, in this passage, we see an astonishing God. No one else is described in this way. In fact, man is described as “grass” (Isa. 40:6; I Pet. 1:24).
Knowing that we have such an amazing God, who are we to question or defy Him? This point is made in Isaiah 40:13. Brethren, who are we to say we know more than God? Yet, some declare it! They do so through their words and actions! When men say that baptism does not save us, they are saying they know more than God, for God said, “baptism doth also now save us” (I Pet. 3:21)! When men say “Join the church of your choice”, they are saying they know more about the church than Christ did, for He said, “I will build my church (singular)....” (Matt. 16:18). When men belittle the value of the church saying it is unimportant, they are also declaring that the blood of Christ has no worth. Acts 20:28 tells us it is Christ’s blood that “purchased the church”! We also see times when men declare that their intellect is superior to God’s. When does this happen? It happens when men say that whatever the individual can do, the church can do. Christ made a distinction between the church’s responsibility and the individual’s responsibility (I Tim. 5:16; Matt. 18:15-17). We need to respect the difference! In addition to these, There are many other ways men contradict God today. It is very sad to see this being done when we are in the presence of such an astonishing God!
Remember, we are not here to command, but to serve (II Tim. 2:3-4). When we can hold all the waters of the earth in the palm of our hand; when we can measure the heavens from the tip of our little finger to the tip of our thumb, then we can tell God what to do!! Until that time, let us be satisfied to simply be the servants of our astonishing God!
-The Old Paths (June 14, 2015)
Top
Count the Cost...Pay the Price
Why are you following Jesus? Many answers (that please men but not God) are
given to that simple question. When Jesus walked the earth some followed Him
because of personal benefits. They “ate of the loaves” and were filled” (Jn.
6:26). Some followed Jesus because they wanted to entrap Him (Lk.
11:530-54). At least one man (Judas) followed Jesus because he found an
opportunity to enrich himself (Jno. 12:6). Obviously, it matters why
we follow Jesus and not merely that we follow Him.
On one occasion
when a multitude followed Jesus He warned them to count the cost of
discipleship (Lk. 14:25-35). He said the value placed on Him must be greater
than the value we place on our family, our life, our comfort, convenience
and everything else (Lk. 14:25-27, 33). Unless Jesus has first place in our
heart and life we will not be accepted by the Master. Therefore, each one
must...
1) Count the
cost and pay the price to become a Christian. Jesus died for your sins.
He calls on you to submit your entire life to Him in faithful obedience
(Rom. 6:16-18). We cannot claim to follow Christ and live in disobedience.
Only the obedient will be saved (Heb. 5:8-9).Are you willing to pay the
price of complete submission to Jesus? If so, then obey His plan of
salvation (believe, repent, confess faith, be baptized, live faithfully) and
be saved.
2) Count the
cost and pay the price of putting Jesus first. Ridicule, rejection,
sacrifice. Do you have the resolve of heart to “seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33)? You will need it in order to endure
to the end (Matt. 10:22).
3) Count the
cost and pay the price of spiritual growth. You must study the
Scriptures and obey them in order for your faith to grow (1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Tim.
2:15). Time and diligent devotion helps (2 Tim. 3:18; 2 Pet. 1:5-11).
Resurrection of the Dead
There will be a resurrection of the dead. Jesus’ resurrection assures us of
it (1 Cor. 15:20-21). The resurrection of the dead is central to our faith.
Here are some vital, relevant truths that magnify its importance.
1) If there is
no resurrection of the dead, then the gospel and all that pertains to it is
a fraudulent hoax (1 Cor. 15:12-19).
These Bible
facts about the resurrection are not believed by all who call themselves
Christians. Even now, some people (the “AD 70” advocates) say the
resurrection is past already (2 Tim. 2:18). The Jehovah’s Witnesses say when
we die we cease to exist. To them, the resurrection will have to be some
manner of re-creation. However, the body of Jesus was raised from the dead,
and our bodily resurrection will be like His (Lk. 23:43; Acts 2:27-31; 1
Cor. 15:45-49).
The
“resurrection of life” will be filled with glory (Jno. 5:29; 2 Thess. 1:10;
Phil. 3:21; Col. 3:4). The “resurrection of damnation” will be filled with
terror (Jno. 5:29; Matt. 25:41, 46; Rev. 20:11-15). How you live now
determines what you will experience that day.
You can find the complete outline of this sermon
plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files
at
BIBLE ANSWERS
Scripture Reading: 1 John 4:7-11
1. God, who is love and who loved us, commands and compels us to love
one another, 1 Jno. 4:7-11.
I. LOVE HURTS. A. When
You Decide to Follow Jesus, Mk. 10:17-22; Phil. 3:7-8; Matt. 10:34-38; Acts
2:37-38 (2 Cor. 7:9); 1 Pet. 4:4-5.
II. WE ARE TEMPTED NOT TO LOVE TOO MUCH BECAUSE LOVE HURTS. A. We are
Tempted to become Selfish, Apathetic and Inactive: The Opposite of Love, 1
Cor. 13:4-8; 1 Jno. 3:16-18; Eph. 4:31-32; 2 Cor. 12:15.
Conclusion John 13:34-35; 2 John 6
You can find the complete outline of this sermon
plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files
at
BIBLE ANSWERS
A Personal Relationship with Jesus
Scripture Reading: John 15:4-8
1. Evangelicals speak of having "a personal relationship with Jesus".
cf. Col. 1:27; Gal. 2:20
I.
RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST BEGINS BY BEING BORN AGAIN, Jno. 3:3-5; 1 Pet.
1:22-23; Titus 3:3-7.
A. Two Elements
of One Birth: Water and the Spirit. Heb. 10:22; Eph. 5:26.
II. EVERY
SPIRITUAL BLESSING IS "IN CHRIST", Eph. 1:3.
A. The Faithful
are in Christ, Eph. 1:1.
III. A
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST, Jno. 15:4-5.
A. By having an
Obedient Faith, Jno. 15:7; 14:21, 23.
Conclusion
1. Hear word of
Christ and open to Him, Rev. 3:20-21.
Joe R. Price
Joe R. Price
2) The resurrection will occur when Jesus returns (1 Cor. 15:22-23).
3) The Bible affirms a bodily resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:35-49).
4) All people of all time will be raised from the dead (Jno. 5:28; Rev.
20:12).
5) After resurrection, we will all stand before God in judgment (Jno. 5:29;
2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:12).
6) Christians take comfort in knowing we will be resurrected to always be
with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:17-18).
7) Without the resurrection of the dead, the Christian’s hope of future
reward is vain (1 Pet. 1:3-5; 1 Cor. 15:19).
2.
Love is more than a feeling; Love does not always feel good.
3. Yet, people expect love to always feel good. That's because they do
not accurately and Biblically define love. Eph. 5:1-2
4. A trait of love rarely discussed is that it often does not feel good.
In fact, love hurts.
B.
When a Parent Corrects a Child, Prov. 13:24; Heb. 12:11; Prov. 3:11-12; Lev.
26:14-15, 16-45 (23); Heb. 12:5-10; Prov. 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 29:15;
23:13-14.
C.
When a Church Corrects Sin, 1 Cor. 5:4-5, 11-13; 2 Ths. 3:6, 14-15; 2 Cor.
2:6, 9.
D.
When You try to Restore a Fallen Christian, Gal. 6:1-2; Acts 8:20-24.
E.
When You try to Save Lost, Jude 22-23; 1 Cor. 2:2-3; Acts 18:4-10 (9-10).
F.
When You Work to Resolve Conflict, Matt. 5:23-25; Phil. 4:2-3; Gen. 13:8-9.
G.
When You Rebuke and Correct Error with God's Word, 1 Cor. 4:9-13; 2 Cor.
2:4; 11:11 (8-11); 12:13, 15-16; Gal. 4:16.
H.
When You Living an Enduring Faith, Luke 21:12-19.
B. We
are Thankful God did not Refuse to Love Us, Rom. 5:6-8.
2.
NT teaches we must have a relationship with Jesus; without Him we are
lost, Jno. 15:1-8.
3. How this relationship begins, how it is maintained, and what things
are in Christ, and how this relationship is maintained.
B.
Conversion is Described as being Joined (Married) to Christ, Rom. 7:4. Bear
fruit.
C.
Must be "in Christ" to have a Personal Relationship with Christ, 2 Cor.
5:17; Eph. 2:12; Rom. 8:1.
D.
Relationship begins when you Put on Christ, Gal. 3:26-27; Rom. 6:3; 2 Cor.
13:5; Col. 3:4; Gal. 2:20.
-Things that are "in Christ"-
B.
Assurance of a Saved Relationship with Christ when we Keep His Commands, 1
Jno. 2:3-6; Col. 1:28.
C. Be
a Friend to Jesus, Jno. 15:12-14; Jas. 2:21-23.
2. Abide in the doctrine of Christ and have the Father and the Son, 2 Jno.
9.
NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current
events in the light of Scripture)
Obeying the Laws of the Land
Joe R. Price
We must obey God when the laws of men contradict it and attempt to impose on us things that are against God's word (Acts 5:29). Respecting that proviso, we are to "be subject to the governing authorities" (Rom. 13:1). The reason we obey the law is because "the authorities that exist are appointed by God" (Rom. 13:1). By our obedience to the laws of the land we acknowledge that "the Most High rules in the kingdom of men" (Dan. 4:25, 32).
A secular assault upon the moral decency of America has been occurring for the past fifty years. It's intent is to remove religion from this nation's landscape. From legalized abortion to LGBT rights to same-sex marriage), the US government, through judicial fiat, is willing to legalize actions that institutionalize sin. Christians' faith is put to the test in the face of growing opposition to all manner of religious expression (except those conforming to societal preferences and governmental edicts). We will not obey laws that cause us to sin against God.
Who will teach subsequent generations what is good, including that it is good to obey the laws of the land as secularists remove the fear of God and religion from the fabric of American society? Romans 13:1-7 teaches it is the citizen's respect for God that produces an obedient, blessed society. Please see the linkage between honoring God and honoring civil government's laws:
1. People
who do not respect God and His law will not respect the laws of the land
(Rom. 13:2). Failure to respect God leads to disrespect for the law, which
leads to the breakdown of order.
2. When there is no fear of God in the land there will be declining fear
of breaking government's laws (Rom. 13:3). Reverence for God is
foundational for people to obey the laws of the land.
3. We are to obey governing authority because it is "God's minister" to
protect the innocent and punish the evil (Rom. 13:4, 6). When government
leaves this role to serve the will of men without a fear of God, that
country will have trouble.
4. We are to be subject to governing authorities "for conscience' sake"
(Rom. 13:5). As consciences are no longer trained to respect authority and
obey its laws, America will continue its descent into moral chaos and
societal shame.
Why is America in decline? There is no fear of God in the land. Without that, worse days are ahead.
Created by Chuck Sibbing, last updated. 07/06/2015
The Spirit's Sword is a free,
weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA
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