Gospel Meeting September 22 - 26, 2018

The Mt. Baker
Church of Christ

1860 Mt. Baker Highway • Bellingham WA

Invites you to our
GOSPEL MEETING
With Evangelist
Micky Galloway
(Lancaster, California)
SEPTEMBER 22 - 26, 2018

Saturday at 6:00 PM; Monday-Wednesday at 7:00 PM
(Sunday, Sept. 23 at 9:30, 10:30 AM and 6:00 PM)

Attitudes Toward…

Bring your Bible and join us in learning God’s word and will for our lives!

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

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” (John 8:7, NKJV)

They had brought a woman to Jesus who was caught in the act of adultery (John 8:4). Desiring to accuse Jesus of wrong, His enemies tested Him by asking if He agreed with the Law of Moses that the woman should be stoned (John 8:5-6). If Jesus agreed with Moses, they could accuse Him to the Romans. If Jesus disagreed with Moses, they would accuse Him to the Jewish council. What they failed to remember is that Moses charged the witnesses of a death penalty offense to be the first ones to cast the stones (Deuteronomy 17:6-7). That is why Jesus replied as He did. He was not saying it is wrong to judge sin. He was exposing the hypocrisy of those who brought the woman to him (yet for some reason had not also brought the man with whom she was caught “in the very act” of adultery). Jesus was not a witness to her sin. When those who claimed to be witnesses departed, He had no legal ground to condemn her (John 8:9-11). But, He told her to “go and sin no more” (John 8:11). Jesus knew her sin and commanded her to stop sinning. Are you willing to let Jesus tell you to “go and sin no more?” Or, will you condemn Him for telling you that your conduct is sin?

-Sword Tips #1494, September 11, 2018 

Scripture Reading:  Psalm 25:1-5

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The usual instinct when danger presents itself is to flee, not run toward the danger. Thankfully, Blaine Hodges is unusual that way. When a woman ran into a Bakersfield, CA Starbuck’s last Sunday screaming, “Help me, this guy’s going to kill me,” Hodges ran to her aid. When a man entered the store with something in his hand (a machete), Hodges’ friend Joe Harris described the scene: “Everyone else was running away and he was the first person to run straight to the action,” Harris told KGET. “He was like: ‘I’m going to stop this guy, regardless if I get stabbed or not. I can’t let this woman die.’” “Hodge was reportedly stabbed ‘many times’ during the encounter, and required nearly 200 stitches.” (“California man steps in front of machete to save woman at Starbucks: report,” foxnews.com).

We applaud Mr. Hodges’ bravery and valor. We should develop this sort of courage for fighting spiritual enemies to protect others and ourselves (1 Cor. 16:13; 2 Pet. 1:5).

It takes moral courage to fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12). We must battle false faiths and enemies of the cross to seize (“lay hold of”) eternal life (2 Cor. 10:3-5).

It takes moral courage to fight against the devil (Eph. 6:10-13). The armor of God must be put on and bravely worn into battle, not hung on the wall to admire but not used (1 Pet. 5:8).

It takes moral courage to contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 3). We must be willing to risk the rejection (and even wrath) of men when we oppose their error (Jude 4).

It takes moral courage to run to the fight instead of away from it. David ran toward the giant and his army (1 Sam. 17:48). Shall we run to the fight with faith in the living God, or run away in fear for ourselves and of men? (Matt. 10:28)