Tough Conversations: Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage

By Andrew Beasley     The Bible is meant to be understood. It is also written to challenge us. Sometimes, the writings of the inspired authors demand that we have difficult conversations. Sometimes those conversations must be had “looking in the mirror” so to speak. Other times those conversations must be had between one another. Will we shy away from those challenges that demand discussion and application? Will we adapt our lives to fit what the Bible teaches, or will we try to make the Bible fit what we want to believe?      If we want to make the Bible fit what we believe then we must first answer the sort of questions that God rhetorically asks Job. Where were you? Where were you when He instituted marriage shortly after He rested from creation? Do you truly wish to speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent or does that only hold true when it aligns with what we already believe?      In our study of what the Bible teaches regarding marriage, divorce and remarriage (Matthew 19), in in our study of any biblical topic, it is important that we speak where the Bible has spoken and are silent where it has not. God intends for us to understand what he desires, what he expects, and what he permits regarding marriage, to divorce, and to remarriage.

- Andrew Beasley serves as a minister with the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

Behold the Pattern

Borrowing the title from a tremendous book written by Goebel Music, Behold the Pattern, we need to constantly return to God’s word for instructions on how we live, worship, and serve our Heavenly Father.  It is easy if you turn on the news, or scroll social media, to be inundated with opinions and thought pieces on the way that people should live their lives. Perhaps it seems right to you to side with the protesters in Los Angeles. Or, perhaps, you’re on the side of the immigration enforcement officers. Persuasive arguments, from a human perspective, can be made by both sides for why the actions that they have undertaken are right and proper.     Pause for a moment in your thinking and consider the patterns that have been set forth in Scripture. For example, Noah was given a pattern to follow in the building of the Ark. Had Noah followed a pattern other than the one God had set forth, the outcome would have been drastically different. Keeping that in mind, consider if God has set forth a pattern for His people today.     As you consider this, look to the words of Jesus to the Pharisees and the Sadducees concerning the greatest commandment. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind … and the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:36-40).     This is the pattern for our lives. Anything that falls outside of loving God, and loving our neighbor, fails to meet God’s standard

- Andrew Beasley serves as a minister with the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

At the Perfect Time

By Andrew Beasley     Have you ever heard someone refer to a newborn baby as being perfect? The sentiment is understandable. Newborns are precious, innocent creatures who have yet to be jaded or corrupted by the world. Unfortunately, every person eventually loses that quality even ones parents continue to call them their perfect child. That is one of the distinguishing features between every human conceived by two human parents that is born into this world if they are blessed to live long enough to reach adulthood and accountability and Jesus of Nazareth.      John tells us that God loved the world to such a degree that He gave His only begotten, or some translations say unique, Son. Jesus of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem, is the truly perfect son of God in that He is like God. He is Deity and cannot coexist with sin or darkness. But Jesus is not perfect simply because He is fully, one hundred percent God. But also, because He was fully, one hundred percent human and yet did not sin (Heb. 4:15). This makes Him our perfect mediator, intercessor and high priest. He is perfect in means of completion, being completely what humanity needed but also perfect in sense of quality in that He was pure, unblemished and spotless throughout His life.      Jesus of Nazareth, the perfect Son of God born in a little town of Bethlehem, a place that had been prepared for that moment.

- Andrew Beasley serves as a minister with the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

The Perfect Son

By Andrew Beasley     Was Jesus born on December 25th? Judging by what the Bible tells us we cannot definitively know when Jesus was born, but the details suggest late spring or early summer (Luke 2:8). Even then, we cannot know the exact date of Christ’s birth. Does that mean it should not be celebrated? We know that Jesus has made it clear how He wants us to remember Him and we have the privilege of participating in that memorial remembrance of Him every single Sunday (1 Cor. 11:23-26). Because he expressly commanded this to be done, we must do so. But that does not mean that celebrating His birth is something that we should not do.      Jesus, humbling Himself, took on the form of a man and fulfilled the prophecies of Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6. Matthew makes it clear that this moment in time is the one the world had been waiting for when He says this is that which the prophet Isaiah spoke of (Matthew 3:3). Jesus of Nazareth would go on to be the perfect, unblemished sacrifice for our sins that we needed. He would become our intercessor, our mediator and our great high priest among other things.      So, as the world centers its mind on the fact that the perfect Son came into this world at the perfect time in a place that God had prepared, let us not denigrate them for doing so.      Instead, let us rejoice that this baby boy that Mary gave birth to was, indeed, God with us. Even if he wasn’t born on December 25th.

- Andrew Beasley serves as a minister with the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/

The Benefits of Knowing God Through His Word

By Edd Sterchi   When Peter wrote his second epistle, he wrote to “those who have obtained like precious faith” (1:1). That includes you and me, if we are Christians! Then in the following three verses, he mentioned something interesting about “the knowledge of God” (1:2). I believe within this section are four incredible benefits of knowing God through His word.   Here’s the full text: “To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature...” (1:2-4)   In this particular translation (NKJV), there are four words that begin with “P” that reveal these incredible benefits. * Peace - The more we know God through His word, the more at peace we will be. Understanding just who God is and having a relationship with Him brings great peace of mind, life, and soul. * Power - When we gain a greater understanding of God through His word, we will truly stand in awe of His power. And we will also realize that He will use His power to help and guide us in many ways. * Promises - When we read God’s word, we will see many of His precious promises. We will also see how He has always kept them with His people, and this will assure us that He will keep them all! * Partakers - When we consume and obey God’s word, we deepen our relationship with Him. He then shares many wonderful blessings with us.   Of course, there are many other benefits to knowing God through His word, but these four ought to be enough to encourage us to spend more and more time reading the Bible – God’s precious word.

- Edd Sterchi preaches for the Broadway Church of Christ in Campbellsville, KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.broadwaychurchofchrist.net/

Commands from Christ Are Not Optional

By Edd Sterchi
  I recently read a Bible Q & A article written by a denominational preacher. In it he was asked, “Can you go to heaven if you ‘trust’ Jesus as your Lord and Savior but you are not yet baptized?” He began his answer by saying: “Yes. Baptism has nothing to do with salvation.” Later in the answer he stated: “Baptism is an ordinance instituted by Christ until the ‘end of the age’...Clearly this command was not only for the apostles who heard it but for His followers throughout the entire age.” Finally, he concluded with: “One is saved without, apart from and before baptism. Those who are saved should desire baptism as a public profession of faith, but please realize that it is not necessary for salvation. If a person believes in Jesus as Lord and is never baptized, they will still be saved.”  I would like to analyze how this person answered this most sincere and important question about baptism and see if it really “holds water.” I think it is very interesting that he admits that baptism is a command from Christ and then declares that it does not have to be followed for salvation. Imagine that – the command from Jesus Christ to be baptized is optional (or so he said)! Given this logic, I wonder what other commands from Christ would be optional? I guess all that are not in line with man’s teachings!  All facetiousness aside, listen to what Jesus Himself said concerning what our attitude should be toward every command He gives:* John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”* John 14:21, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.”* John 15:10, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love”* John 15:14, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”  Note that there is no room in these verses for options, opinions, or omissions. That’s because Jesus is the One with all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). Whatever He has commanded, we’d better do. And Jesus commanded baptism as necessary for salvation (Mark 16:16) and declared it to be the process of how people become His disciples (Matt. 28:19). The apostles went about baptizing “in the name of” Jesus Christ (i.e. in the manner and for the purpose He authorized, see Acts 2:38; 10:48). They knew something we should never forget: If it’s a command from Christ, it’s not an option.

- Edd Sterchi preaches for the Broadway Church of Christ in Campbellsville, KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.broadwaychurchofchrist.net/

Three Words That Change Everything

By Edd Sterchi   There are three words, that if we really believe them, will change our perspective, our outlook, our attitude – our everything! What are they? Well, let’s let one of the great people of faith, Abraham, tell us.   In Genesis 22, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Now, consider the fact that Isaac was the son that God promised Abraham and Sarah. He was the only one who could continue the lineage of Abraham’s innumerable descendants, again as promised by God. And now, Abraham was asked to kill him! Abraham’s faith in God caused him to trust and obey (Hebrews 11:17-19).   As they neared the spot God had designated to be the sacrificial place, Isaac asked his father, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7). It is then that Abraham gives us the phrase to always remember – the phrase that changes everything: “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” (Genesis 22:8). And He did! After passing the test of faith in the motions of going through with the sacrifice, in the nick of time, God provided a ram to be the substitute (Genesis 22:9-14).   “God will provide.” Believing and saying that reminds us that no matter the circumstances in our lives, God is in control and will always act on what is in our best interest at the proper time. We must, like Abraham, trust and obey and step forward in faith knowing that “God will provide.”

- Edd Sterchi preaches for the Broadway Church of Christ in Campbellsville, KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.broadwaychurchofchrist.net/

Stoke the Folk!

By Edd Sterchi
  Have you ever just sat around a fire? It is incredibly therapeutic. A fire seems to bring out wonderful moments of reflection and conversation. Fires are beneficial in many ways with the heat, light, and mood it produces.  God’s word is compared to a fire in Jeremiah 23:39. Like a fire, it enlightens and penetrates. I believe that the gospel is also a fire, and the church needs to be on fire to spread it properly. I also believe that the church that is on fire for the Lord shines brightly in many ways and glorifies Him (cf. Matthew 5:16; Ephesians 3:21). How I wish more brethren would take advantage of the times we burn brightly for the Lord in work and worship.  Have you ever been sitting around a fire that was beginning to dwindle, took a stick and stoked the coals, and the fire would burn brightly again? It is amazing that just moving the burning coals around a little makes such a big difference in the fire.  There’s a lesson for all of us in this. It is important to keep moving about serving, working, fellowshipping, and encouraging one another in the church. Doing this breathes needed oxygen into the church and helps the gospel fire to burn in our hearts and lives. The more of us “burning coals” who move around, the brighter we will burn together for the Lord!  So, stoke the fire – stoke the folk!“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together...” (Hebrews 10:14-25)“...and your zeal has stirred up the majority” (2 Corinthians 9:2)

- Edd Sterchi preaches for the Broadway Church of Christ in Campbellsville, KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.broadwaychurchofchrist.net/