It’s All About the Lord

By Edd Sterchi

The Lord’s people,
     having been baptized with the Lord’s baptism,
     cleansed with the Lord’s blood,
     and added to the Lord’s body,
     gather around the Lord’s table,
     in the Lord’s name,
     upon the Lord’s day,
     to remember the Lord’s death and resurrection,
     until the Lord comes.

Are you the Lord’s?

- 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/

Merciful God

By Clifton Angel

 

    "The LORD thy God is a merciful God" (Deut. 4:31). One of the greatest illustrations of God's mercy is found in Jesus' parable that is often called "The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant" (Matthew 18:23–35). What if we called it "The Parable of the Abundantly Merciful King”?

    The main character was the unmerciful servant. He received forgiveness of a tremendous debt. However, he was not willing to be merciful toward a fellow servant who owed him a minuscule amount.

    The debt amounts in the parable illustrate the abundant mercy of our God. The servant was owed the small debt of 100 pence, a debt he could have paid in less than one year. But the servant was forgiven the large debt of 10,000 talents. We do not know the exact amount of money that would equate 10,000 talents. But, 1 talent was the average annual salary of the common man in Jesus' day. Therefore, it would have taken him 10,000 years of his entire salary to repay it.

    Jesus was illustrating the fact that we cannot repay the debt of sin. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). No amount of money, work, effort, energy, or time that we offer can repay the debt of sin. Yet, God is ready every day, every hour, every second, to forgive that debt to those who love Him. God desires “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Yes, “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Will we accept His gift as did the disciples in Rome? “God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you” (Romans 6:17). How did they obey the teachings they received? “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3-4).

    Furthermore, we often refuse to forgive those small debts of sin against us by our fellow servants. “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). When Jesus gave a model format of prayer, He included this necessary request: “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). After giving this prayer model, He explained, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14–15).

    “The LORD thy God is a merciful God” (Deuteronomy 4:31). Will we serve Him, show His mercy to others, and extend mercy ourselves?

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

A Life That Matters

By Joe Chesser

    This is a weekend for remembering.  It’s a time to hold special services and a time for going to the cemeteries to decorate graves with flowers and pictures. We do this to remember and honor those who so gallantly defended our country’s freedom with their lives.  We also remember and honor those who hold a special place in our past – family, friends and other special people. We do this to keep alive in our memories those special people whose lives mattered to us.
    What is it that we remember?  What is it that makes a person’s life live on after they have died?  A popular inspirational reading captures some of what I am thinking:
    "What will matter most is...
                        not what you bought, but what you built.
                        not what you got, but what you gave.
                        not your success, but your significance.
                        not that you learned, but that you taught.
                        not your competence, but your character.
                        not your memories, but the memories that live on in those who love you.
    It’s so easy to major in minors, to let the insignificant dominate the important.  It’s so easy to let making a living become more important than making a life.  It’s so easy to believe that what you have is more important that who you are.  It’s so much easier to buy gifts than it is to give yourself.
    You don’t have to be wealthy or talented or educated to live a life that matters.  In fact, these are often the very things that prevent you from living a life that matters.  Despite living in “extreme poverty,” the Macedonians lived lives that mattered.  The rich young ruler didn’t (2 Cor. 8:1-5, Matt. 19:16-24).  Though he had social status and education, the Pharisee did not choose to live a life that mattered.  Yet, the humble tax collector did (Luke 18:9-14).
    Living a life that matters is not an accident.  It’s about making the right choices. Choose people over possessions. Choose giving over getting.  Choose others over self.  Choose God over anything or anyone else.
    This Memorial Day weekend is a good time to remember how others had lived. While you are at it, take time to reflect on your own life. Are you living a life that matters?  When others think of you, will they think of God?

- Joe Chesser preaches for the Fruitland Church of Christ, Fruitland, MO.  He may be contacted at joeandareva@yahoo.com

“Thank You” Can Take Many Forms

By Adam Faughn

    When children are little, we do our best to teach them basic manners. One of the most basic is when we tell them to "say their pleases and thank yous." We want to instill in them that a verbal expression of thanks is a sign of respect and means a great deal to the one who hears it.
    As we all know, however, thanks can take many forms. Certainly, we should continue to express our thanks in words, but that should not be the only way we express gratitude for what someone has done.
    Tomorrow, our nation will say "thank you" to those who have given their lives to defend us and protect the liberties we enjoy. However, since those we are honoring are no longer living, it is impossible for us to vocally tell them "thank you." So, how do we thank them properly? There are a number of ways. Taking time to remember, cleaning a grave, or saying a prayer to God that remembers what has been done on our behalf are just some ways that we say "thank you" without uttering the words to the one we are trying to express gratitude toward.
    Today –the Lord's Day –we have an even more important time set aside to do much the same thing. When we eat the Lord's Supper, we do not usually do anything "vocally" other than the one who leads us in prayer. However, those of us who are partaking have an opportunity to express gratitude in more silent ways, but ways that are just as meaningful and heartfelt.
    We express our gratitude by partaking faithfully, with our whole heart involved. True obedience to God is a form of gratitude. Taking communion with our mind and heart truly involved thanks Him because it shows we still care deeply about what He did, though so much time has passed
    We can express our gratitude through silent prayer. During the moments we are eating the bread or taking the fruit of the vine, there are many things we could be focusing on. One of those, however, could be a time of gratitude. It might be a brief and silent prayer, but what better prayer to have in our minds than, "Father, thank you for what Jesus did for me"! If it comes from the heart, that expresses true thankfulness.
    We can express our gratitude through partaking each week. Part of the Lord's Supper's meaning is that it is a proclamation that He is coming again. The Lord instituted this meal as a public "statement" that the promise is still real and still meaningful to us. When we partake every week –week after week –we are showing gratitude for being given the honor of taking part in that proclamation on a regular basis.
    Quite often, the man who leads us in the prayers at communion expresses thanks. Such is appropriate, and it helps us have our minds in the right place. But even if that is not expressly stated in the prayer, there are still ways we can show our gratitude as we "eat this bread and drink this cup." Our hearts should be filled with many emotions as we partake, not the least of which should be thankfulness.
   So, whether vocally uttered or not, will you show your thanks today as you partake?

- Adam Faughn preaches for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org Visit the Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith.

 

Showing Honor to the Son

By Brian Mitchell

 

    Jesus’ ministry was known as a ministry of many things. It was a ministry of: healing—spiritual and physical, teaching and preaching, redemption, justification, reconciliation and suffering to name a few. But it was also a ministry of controversy. Why was Jesus’

ministry so controversial? While there are many reasons for such the following will provide some insight into why it was so controversial.

    It was controversial because the people did not accept the fact that He had come from the Father and thus they did not recognize His authority or give Him the honor He was due. It was controversial because the leaders of the day, both religious and secular, were threatened by Jesus and felt that if He was allowed to succeed they might lose their positions of prestige and authority. It was controversial because they had looked for a physical fulfillment of many of the Old Testament prophecies that related to Christ and thus Jesus was not what they expected or wanted.

    It was controversial because Jesus did things that were not in keeping with their traditions, such as washing of hands—Mk.7:2-5, ceremonial fasting—Mt.9:14-15 and healing on the Sabbath—Jn.5:16. In the end it was controversial because Jesus made Himself out to be equal with God—Jn.5:17-18. Jesus at every turn did things that were not in keeping with the people’s expectations or traditions. Because of this His ministry was surrounded by controversy and turmoil and because of this they sought to kill Him.

    If I had to boil it down I would say that the following was the real reason why Jesus’ ministry was so surrounded by controversy. It is because of the fact that the people did not really honor God as they should have—Jn.5:22-23. If they would have truly given God the honor He deserved, they would have then honored the Son who came from the Father. Here is an important lesson! No one can honor God if they do not honor His Son.

    One can think they are giving honor to God while in reality dishonoring Him. The Jews did such on many occasions and even Paul at one time thought he was honoring God by persecuting members of the church. Thus, we do not honor the Father or the Son unless we do so in the proper manner.

    Jesus is worthy of our honor. All will one day give honor to the Son, the only question is whether or not we will do so by choice or because we have no choice—Ph.2:9-11. There are but two choices in this life that are of any real consequence in the end. That is whether we choose to give honor to the Son or whether we choose not to. Which will you choose?

- 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

Nobody is a Nobody in the Family of God

By Edd Sterchi

 

    If you have ever read Romans 16:1-16, you will see a list of people Paul wished to commend for their work in the church.  The vast majority of them are individuals of whom we have no additional details concerning their lives or service in Christ.  But Paul wanted to honor them for their dedication and contribution to the advancement of the gospel.

    In the early church we see the membership actively engaged in the work of the Lord.  Paul reminded the church at Corinth that the church is a body made up of many different individual parts – all with important functions (1 Corinthians 12:12-27; see also Romans 12:4-8).  It is so well worded in Ephesians 4:16, “from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

    The bottom line is this: Nobody is a nobody in the family of God. Everybody is important and everybody has something to contribute. Let us all find our place and do our part.  You are an essential worker!

- 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/

Walking Before, After, & With God

By Joe Slater

 

    “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless’” (Genesis 17:1). God had great plans for Abram. He would make a great nation of his descendants and give them the promised land of milk and honey. Eventually the Savior of mankind would appear through the lineage of Abram.

    With such great promises came great expectations. The Lord wanted Abram’s faithful, obedient behavior. Since Christ is the fulfillment of the promise, and Christians are heirs of the promise (Hebrews 6:17), God also expects us to walk before Him and be blameless. The Lord sees all that we do and knows all we say or think. Knowledge of His presence should encourage us to be confident and motivate us to refrain from sin, knowing we cannot hide from Him.

    Walking “after” God emphasizes faithful obedience a bit differently. God, through Moses, told Israel: “You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him” (Deuteronomy 13:4). They were to follow God’s leading, not that of the false prophets in the previous verse. Likewise, we must walk after God, rejecting the false ideas of men.

    None of this is new! People who love God have always endeavored to do His will. Scripture gives credit to two men who “walked with God” – Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and Noah (Genesis 6:9). They lived in harmony with God’s will and enjoyed close fellowship with Him.

    Walk before God! Let the knowledge of His presence encourage and motivate you. Walk after God! Follow the leading of His word. Walk with God! Live in harmony with His will and enjoy His fellowship!

- Joe Slater serves as minister of the Church of Christ in Justin, TX. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com