They That Mourn

 

By Clifton Angel     Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matt 5:4). The late V.P. Black organized mourning into three categories: natural, unnatural, and godly.      Natural mourning is the result of suffering in this world of decay: “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men” (Rom 5:12). Many may assume Jesus is speaking of natural mourning at Matthew 5:4. Truly God is the God of all comfort (2 Cor 1:3–4) and He knows and cares about our natural mourning (cf. 1 Cor 10:13; Rev 21:4); however, at Matthew 5:4, Jesus is not speaking of natural mourning.      Unnatural mourning includes worldly sorrow, ungodly fear, and unnecessary guilt. Worldly sorrow is insincere and selfish. If not repented of, it leads to spiritual death (2 Cor 7:10). It is the person who is only sorry because he got caught. Ungodly fear is deceptive, futile, and destructive (cf. Matt 6:25–34; Phil 4:4–9; 2 Tim 1:7; Rev 21:8). Unnecessary guilt happens when we will not forgive ourselves for something for which we’ve already been forgiven (cf. 1 John 1:7–9; 3:20). Certainly, it is not unnatural mourning Jesus is speaking of at Matthew 5:4.      Godly mourning is the result of an honest heart recognizing sin and the consequences of it (2 Cor. 7:10; Rom. 6:23). It is connected to being “poor in spirit,” since the person who is poor in spirit recognizes he is in need when he sins, and he is nothing without God. King David’s godly mourning is evident in the words of Psalm 51: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51:1–3).      What does it mean to be among them that mourn? It is the grief felt and expressed over the acknowledgement of one’s sin and its consequences. The blessing is that with proper direction, this soul will be comforted. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30).

- Clifton Angel preaches for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted 2 that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/

Jesus Is Greater

 

By Edd Sterchi     The theme to the book of Hebrews seems to be “better.” In a stark contrast to the Old Covenant, we see that the New Covenant of God has a better Prophet and Priest who brings better promises. Of course, we know this to be in reference to Jesus Christ.     One such contrast alluded to is in chapter 3. In verses 1 and 2, we see that Jesus was faithful to the Father just as Moses was, but in verse 3, we see that Jesus “has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses.” Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses because He is greater and had done greater things. Let us consider how great Moses was, and how much greater Jesus is: * Moses was the Lawgiver (Deut. 33:4), but Jesus is the Grace giver (John 1:17). * Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament (Deut. 31:24), but Jesus (being God) inspired the writing of the whole Bible (John 16:13-15; 2 Tim. 3:16). * Moses lifted the bronze serpent in the wilderness to bring about physical healing (Num. 21:4-9), but Jesus lifted Himself on the cross to bring about spiritual healing (John 3:14-15). * Moses was the deliverer of the Israelite people out of slavery (Acts 7:35), but Jesus is the deliverer of all people out of the slavery of sin (1 John 2:2; 4:14).     Certainly we could go on and on, but I’m sure you get the idea. Without a doubt, Jesus is greater! Because of this, He can sympathize with us, bring help to us, and intercede for us in the presence of the Father (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:15). And because of that, He is worthy of more glory from us.     And now a question for you to consider: Is Jesus greater than anyone or anything in your life? “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matt. 10:37-38)).

- 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/

Popping the Question-Setting Up A Study

 

By Brian Mitchell

    Would you like to study the Bible? Often in personal evangelism, we are reluctant to do the one thing that most needs to be done, that is come right out and ask people to study the Bible with us. One of the more fascinating things about the Apostle Paul, was how easy he found it to talk to people about the gospel, even in unfamiliar and uncomfortable surroundings. In whatever circumstances he found himself, Paul found it natural to preach the gospel with boldness and confidence--Acts 17:16-17, Acts 28:30-31.

    Unfortunately for the Lord and His church today, we as His people, are often far more reluctant to discuss matters of a spiritual nature with those whom we come in contact with. “We may engage in broad discussions of religious topics now and then, and we may even invite others to the services of church. However, we do not very often simply ask people if they will study the Bible with us.” Why is that?

    The waiting game is popular with many. While relationships are important, we don’t have to be blood brothers, before we can ask someone to study the Bible. Some people call this serendipity evangelism—which simply means that we are hoping people will discover the gospel truth by accident. So we don’t say anything, and even at time justify questionable activities, on the basis that we are trying to establish contacts. “Whether or not we are consciously following the approach of serendipity evangelism, we seem to have great trouble popping the question. We delay asking people point-blank for a home study.”

    Waiting is not always better. Granted there are times when it is not possible or even expedient to ask a new acquaintance if they would like to study. Wisdom teaches us to look for the best moment, when all things considered, we have the best chance of getting a yes. The problem is this, “Very often the optimum moment to ask about a Bible study comes earlier, rather than later, in our association with people.”

    If we are planning to ask for a Bible study at some point, it is often better to do it sooner rather than later. Even if the answer is no, we may still develop a relationship and be in an even better position to teach them later on. And if we don’t ask, the answer is always going to be no and we will always know that we did not do the most important thing needed to lead someone to Christ. Ask them if they want to study the Bible.

    Not every situation is the same. Wisdom may indicate, a different timetable in different situations, but eventually we must still ask people to study. And no this is not always comfortable and thus not always easy and it is easier for some than others but that does not exclude any of us from seeking to study the Bible with others. A man may dread asking a woman to marry him and he may stumble through doing so, but eventually he gets around to it because he loves her. If we love the lost like Jesus loves the lost, no matter how uncomfortable it may be, we will ask people to study the Bible.

- Brian Mitchell serves as a minister with the Jackson Church of Christ in Jackson, MO. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at https://www.jacksonchurchofchrist.net

Unapproachable Light

 

By David A. Sargent

    In his book, Disappointment with God, Philip Yancey relayed that once, as an experiment, the great scientist Isaac Newton stared at the image of the sun reflected in a mirror. The brightness burned into his retina, and he suffered temporary blindness. Even after he hid for three days behind closed shutters, still the bright spot would not fade from his vision.

    "I used all means to divert my imagination from the sun," he writes, "But if I thought upon him, I presently saw his picture though I was in the dark."

    If he had stared a few minutes longer, Newton might have permanently lost all vision. The chemical receptors that govern eyesight cannot withstand the full force of unfiltered sunlight.*

    Recently during a recent solar eclipse, observers were warned to be sure to wear the proper eyewear to view the eclipse. Looking directly at the sun causes irreparable damage. An eye doctor explains why one should never look directly at the sun by giving this analogy:

    "Think of a magnifying glass that a child might use to burn holes in a piece paper. When the rays of the sun focus on one single point, they create a lot of energy. The eye’s lens is about four times as powerful as that of a typical magnifying glass. When you take a lens that is that powerful and point it directly at the sun, it creates energy strong enough to literally burn a hole in the retina."**

    Consider God in terms of the bright light of the sun. The Apostle Paul extolls the greatness of God: "He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, Who alone has immortality, Who dwells in unapproachable light, Whom no one has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen" (1 Timothy 6:15-16 ESV). Perhaps Paul was reflecting upon his experience when he (called Saul at that time) was going to Damascus to find and persecute Christians. "Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him" (Acts 9:3). Saul fell to the ground as He was confronted by the risen Christ. When he arose, he opened his eyes but could see nothing; he was blind. Was it because he had seen the Son in the glory of His unapproachable light? Yet Saul in his blindness "saw" some things for the first time: he "saw" Jesus for who He was – the Messiah, the Son of God. He also "saw" his sin and his dire need for salvation.

    Saul learned the Good News: God, who dwells in unapproachable light, approached us through His Son Jesus. He sent Jesus to die for our sins on the cross so that we can be forgiven and dwell with Him (John 3:16). Our holy God is also a God of love. Even though we – like Saul – have offended the holiness of God with our sins, He loves us so much that He has made provision through His Son to be reconciled to Him (Ephesians 1:7).

    God will cleanse from sin and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9). Consider the glory of God and His Son Jesus. The glory of God will cause us to become painfully aware of our sinfulness, but it should also draw us to Him because of the greatness of His redeeming love.

* As quoted in www.sermonillustrations.com. ** Gleaned from "From An Eye Doctor: Why You Should Never Stare Directly at the Sun" as shared in www.brighteyesny.com. 

- David A. Sargent, minister for the Church of Christ at Creekwood in Mobile, Alabama, is also the editor of an electronic devotional entitled "Living Water." To learn more about this excellent resource contact David via their website: http://www.creekwoodcc.org.

Worship of Entertainment

By Bob Prichard     There is no doubt that the man we know as Neil Postman described serious problems in modern culture in his insightful 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death. His thesis was that public discourse has been reshaped to such an extent by television and entertainment that thoughtful discourse is missing. Show business hype has affected advertising, politics, and religion. Postman’s conclusion is that none of these changes have made for improvement.     In our entertainment-oriented culture, many churches find themselves trying to out do themselves with more and more elaborate additions to worship. What began as special music by a choir becomes a full orchestra with professional soloists. A dramatic reading necessitates a full Broadway stage production. And as long as those who come to worship enjoy what is offered, anything goes. The expectation is that sermons will be shorter, wittier, and more uplifting. Anything in worship that cannot be “jazzed up” must be abandoned as boring-and there is nothing worse than being boring, we are led to believe.     The problem with this entertainment orientation is that the very object of worship is forgotten. God is the audience in worship. Jesus told the Samaritan woman that ignorant worship was unacceptable to God, even though it may have been sincere or enjoyable. “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). To worship God in spirit and truth means that worship must be from the heart, not just outward acts, and that it must be done in exact obedience to God’s commands. The worship must be directed to Him, not to the whims of the worshipers.     God’s regulations for worship as set out in the New Testament are neither boring nor out of date. They are God-centered, while entertainment is man-centered.     Cultural relevance is important-thus many churches are implementing modern technology such as projection systems to enhance sermons, and there is nothing wrong with the worshiper enjoying worship. God intended for worship to bless His children, but when worship is merely window dressing for an entertainment performance, it cannot please God. The apostle warned, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God” (2 John 1:9). Paul condemned things that “have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship” (Colossians 2:23). “Self-imposed worship” is that worship fashioned after man’s desires.

- Bob Prichard serves as an elder and evangelist for the Hillview Church of Christ in Birmingham, Alabama, since 2016. In his forty-five years of preaching he has served churches in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Alabama.

The Hope Within You

 

The Hope Within You By Jared Green     “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:14-15).     When those around Peter’s audience could not understand why they would remain faithful to Jesus while being persecuted, Peter called them to be prepared to defend their hope. Why remain faithful to the Lord, even amid life’s difficulties? That is a question we all must be ready to answer.     The Israelites’ hope was found in God’s faithfulness to them. Just before Joshua’s death, he and the Israelites renewed their covenant with God. In Joshua 24:2-13, Joshua reminded the people of God’s unwavering faithfulness. God led Abraham through all the land of Canaan and gave him Isaac (v. 3). God then gave Jacob and Esau to Isaac, and Jacob’s family ended up in Egypt (v. 4). Years later, God sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and plagued Egypt until the people were delivered (v. 5). When the Egyptians gave chase, God parted the Red Sea to provide Israel safe passage, while the Egyptians were swallowed up (vv. 6-7). God then brought Israel into the promised land, giving them victory over all who would stand in their way, so that the people could live in a land perfectly laid out by God for his people (vv. 8-13).     After Joshua recounted God’s faithful works, he called the people to put away their fathers’ false gods and serve the Lord alone. No matter what others chose to do, however, Joshua said, “as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (v. 15). Having been reminded of God’s faithfulness, the people could not agree more. They answered Joshua, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods, for it is the LORD our God who brought us up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed” (vv. 16-17).     The Israelites’ hope and motivation to obedience was rooted in what God had done for them. The same should be true of us. We have experienced an even greater deliverance! “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5). What is the reason for our hope-filled obedience, even amid life’s difficulties? That God, in his mercy, sent Jesus to save us from our sins and reconcile us to himself. May we all echo Joshua’s great words: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15). God loves you, and so do I.

- Jared Green preaches the Calvert City Church of Christ in Calvert City, KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

Doing As You Please

 

By Dan Bailey     Brother G. K. Wallace asked the following question in his autobiography:  How could a man accept one part of God's revelation and reject the other unless he is determined to do as he pleases?"     Some argue that there are parts of the Bible that are not inspired. Of course, these disputers are the "all wise ones" who can tell you which part is from God, and which part is not from God! This is the mentality that brother Wallace was commenting on.     When it comes to the Word of God, we must be willing to accept it all! I have met many who claim to be religious, and who seem to be religious, but they reject the simple, clear Word of God. Simon Peter declared on the day of Pentecost, "... Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (~Acts 2:38~). Why would anyone reject the teaching of an inspired apostle? Jesus, the Son of God, and Captain of our salvation said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (~Mark 16:15-16~).     Let us never be guilty of picking and choosing what we want to believe in the Word of God; for in doing this, you are clearly "doing what you please".  "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God" (~Hebrews 11:5~). Just as Enoch pleased God, so we need to please God by believing His Word and by obeying His commands.     Let us love the Lord God with all our heart, mind, and soul. "And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment" (~Mark 12:28-30~). And let us never forget that Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (~John 14:15~). Let us always strive to please God. This is the only choice that leads to heaven.

- Dan C. Bailey serves as a minister with the State Street Church of Christ in Bristol, VA. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at https://www.thelordsway.com/statestreetchurchofchrist/framedindex.asp?Group=Home