By
Jeff Arenette With today being Christmas day, I want us
to reflect on the true message of Jesus, the gospel, and Christmas. Some might
be wondering what I am thinking but bear with me and hopefully it will make
sense. I have heard the phrase “Keep Christ in Christmas” more times than I
care to mention and yet is this really the purpose of Christmas or Christ. The birth of Jesus is definitely a time to
rejoice. The angels, the wise men, the shepherds, and the whole host of heaven
rejoiced at the birth of Jesus (Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 2:13-14). God had finally
sent the Messiah the world needed into the world and that is good news. Yet, it
misses the entirety of what the gospel is about. It is a wonderful, joyful, and
praise worthy event that Jesus is born but an infant in a manger cannot save
us. In order for us to understand the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ, we
must get past this single event to the see the whole of Jesus’ life and
message. Isaiah 53 tells us that the promised
Messiah would indeed be born but He would also die. The Messiah would be an
innocent lamb taken to be slaughtered for our sins. He would be killed for us,
taking our sins upon Himself, and face the punishment of God in our place. The
Good News is that we don’t have to die for our sins! Jesus died for us and yet
that is not the whole of the gospel message. The gospels reveal to us the gospel message
that Jesus died, being crucified on a cross on a hill called “The place of the
skull.” They tell us that Jesus died and was buried in a borrowed tomb (Matthew
27:57; Mark 15:43; John 19:38) owned by a disciple named Joseph of Arimathea. If
the story of Jesus ended in the cradle or the grave it would not be a good
story much less “Gospel” to live by. Even the disciples of Jesus were taken
back by the death of Jesus and didn’t seem to be sure what to do now. Peter had
already gone back to fishing (John 21:1-3) and the two disciples on the road to
Emmaus were distraught, not sure what to think about Jesus (Luke 24:13-34).
They knew that if the story ended in the grave it wasn’t very comforting. The greatness of the story of Jesus is
found in the empty tomb. Romans
1:4 - “and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit
of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,” The
greatness of Jesus, the “Gospel” message is more than a birth and a death. It
is that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and resurrected on the third day
according the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Now that my friends is something to
get excited about. That is truly good news. Jesus is the Christ, our Savior, and
Redeemer because he arose from the grave giving us the hope of eternal life in
heaven with him. |
- Jeff Arnette preaches for the Central Haywood church of Christ,
Clyde, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://centralhaywoodcoc.com/  |
Sunday, April 16, 2023
The True Message of Jesus, Gospel, and Christmas
God of Love Or God Of Wrath?
By Joe
Slater Dozens of times in both testaments
Scripture affirms God’s love. The same is true of His wrath. Even Jesus, who
perfectly embodied love, became angry. If you don’t believe it, just ask the
thieving money changers in the temple! (See John 2:14-15.) Skeptics claim that love and wrath are
incompatible, so the Bible contradicts itself or portrays a God who doesn’t
exist or isn’t worth serving. Do they have a valid point? No indeed! People who pit one attribute of
God against another invariably end up with egg on their face. Mercy or justice?
Love or wrath? It isn’t “either/or”; it’s “both/and”! The very idea that love and wrath are
mutually exclusive flies in the face of common sense and betrays a bogus
definition of love. A “love” that cannot become angry amounts to nothing more
than sickeningly-sweet, syrupy sentimentalism! The skeptics themselves don’t practice
it, nor should they. Ask them, “Do you love your children?” Of course they do!
“Have you ever been angry with them?” The honest answer would have to be,
“Yes!” “Have you ever chastened them?” Some might say, “Oh, no, I love them too
much to do that!” But hear the Spirit-inspired words of the wisest king who
ruled Israel: “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines
him promptly” (Proverbs 13:24). God’s wrath is an expression of His
righteousness and holiness. Those attributes are every bit as excellent as His
love and mercy. If sin didn’t offend God’s very nature, He wouldn’t be
righteous or holy. Now that would make Him a god (not God) who wasn’t worth serving! |
- 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 |
Church (Don’t) Eat (the) Church
By
Adam Faughn Today, we are planning to enjoy a period of
fellowship after our morning worship services with a potluck lunch. However, to
also encourage us to be present for the "evening" worship service, we
are going to go ahead and meet after the potluck, so our evening service will
be at 1:30 pm. We hope this encourages more people to stay for both the meal
and the worship service. We especially hope it encourages those of you who
travel a good distance to worship each Sunday since you can just make one trip
and then participate in the entire day. I still remember the first time I heard a
Sunday like this described as "church, eat, church." Now, of course,
it has caught on, and that phrase is used quite often. In fact, in several
places where I have spoken for Gospel Meetings over the last few years, it has
been the norm. But as common as the phrase "church, eat, church" has
become, it still sounds a little funny. It's catchy, and we know what it means,
but it is still a little weird. That said, not long ago, I heard the phrase
"church, eat, church" somewhere, and it just hit me in a different
way. Certainly, I knew what was being talked about, but my mind went in a
totally different direction: the church doesn't need to "eat" the
church. Sometimes, we get frustrated with a fellow
Christian. There might be a time when we disagree with a decision made by the
elders (maybe even to have church, eat, church!). There could be a brother or
sister in Christ who we feel has slighted us in the past, and we struggle to
get along. Those things happen simply because we are people, and, as such, we
are not always going to get things right. When those things happen, however, I do not
have the right to "eat" the church. In other words, I do not have the
right to run down the Lord's Church before other people so as to weaken it. We use this word picture in many other
areas of life. For example, in a basketball game, one player drives toward the
basket and makes a move that causes the defender to just look silly. You might
hear the TV analyst say, "He just ate him up." What does that
announcer mean by that word picture? The player making the move toward the
basket embarrassed the opponent (and was proud to do so). There should never be a time when any of
that word picture is true of the Church. For one thing, we are not opponents!
Even in times when we may disagree or be working through a problem, we are
still God's family and need to remember that we are on the same team. More to our point, though, we need to
always remember there is just not an appropriate time to intentionally
embarrass ("eat up") a fellow Christian. The only thing that should
cause shame from one Christian to another is in the process of withdrawal of
fellowship, and that should be exceedingly rare and for a very specific
purpose. When we are dealing with regular slights or mistakes, there is never a
time to embarrass our brother or sister in Christ. By the way, that is
especially true when we consider that there is a "crowd" around us--a
world that would love nothing more than to see the Church implode. The New Testament regularly gives
instruction about such topics as living in patience, being forgiving, and
dealing one another in kindness. In a huge number of these places, the
relationship under discussion is that of fellow Christians. We can safely say
that God does not want the church eating the church! The question is, will I be
careful to avoid doing just that? Will you? "But if you bite and devour one
another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another." (Galatians
5:15) |
- 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 |
“What Would You Give?”
By
Bill Brandstatter Suppose someone were to tell you that if
you cut off your little finger, you could have everything you could possibly
want or need? If you need a new car, you could have it. If you need a new
house, pick one, there is no price limit. Whatever you want in this world could
be yours, if you just cut off your right finger. Would you do it? Suppose the
offer was extended to include your right arm, your eyes and your ears, would
you still do it? Many would say “no” at some point, yet there are many people that
are giving up something more valuable for a whole lot less. Jesus poses this
question: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and
lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt.
16:26 NKJV) Our soul is the most valuable item we
possess. There is no price tag attached to it. It is valuable because it goes
on beyond the grave. We cannot take our material possessions with us. (1 Tim.
6:7) We will take our souls with us. So, the value of it is far greater than
anything this world has to offer. To lose our soul would be worse than losing
our material possessions in a fire, earthquake, or storm. Our soul is valuable because of its source.
Man has given us many things; God has given us our soul. Ezekiel, acting as a
spokesman for God stated, “Behold all souls are mine.” (Eze. 18:4) Our material
possessions belong to us. Our souls belong to God. Paul adds to this by
stating, “Glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1
Cor. 6:20) God breathed life into man, and man became a living soul. (Gen.
1:27) Since that time every soul belongs to God. Our soul is valuable because each of us are
of the same value. Material possessions differ with the individual, but each of
us has a soul. The value of each soul is the same. The value is not determined
by gender, education, or ethnicity. Where we live makes no difference. In
Christ, the soul of each person has the same value. (Gal. 3:26-29) Let us consider how valuable we are to God,
not man. Man’s value is based on looks, money, prestige, and class status.
God’s value is placed on our soul’s relationship with Him. Let us make sure we
have the right relationship with God, and the soul’s value will be clearly seen
when Heaven is our home. |
- Bill Brandstatter preaches for the Marion Church of Christ in
Marion, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://marionchurchofchrist.com/ |
Sunday, April 9, 2023
An Introduction to Revelation (Part Two)
By Jeff
Arnette Today we will wrap up our introduction to
the last book of the New Testament. Over the past couple of years, we have
covered every book of the Bible and hopefully it has been a blessing to you.
Last week, we dealt with the introductory topics like authorship, dating,
history, and purpose. Today we’re going to look at the 4 major themes of the
book. The
Return of Christ. The first advent of Christ was marked with
humility. He was born of a virgin in the village of Bethlehem and placed in a
feed trough for a crib. His Second Coming will be very different and will
demonstrate his power, glory, and judgment of sin. Revelation 19:11-19
describes beautifully as we see Jesus descending from heaven riding a white
with an army of angels to wage war on his enemies and set all things right. The
defeat of evil. In Revelation John saw visions of horrible
and terrifying creatures. A prostitute who opposed God and his people a great
dragon who is Satan himself. He wages war against Jesus and when he sees that
he cannot stop his coming, he turns toward the church and all those who trust
in Jesus (Rev. 12). In the end, all of God’s enemies are defeated and judged
for their sins. This reminds us that while evil seems powerful, even
overwhelming at times, God is still in God and seated on his throne. He will be
victorious. God’s
final judgment. Revelation teaches us that God is not slack
in his judgment of sin or evil people. While it may seem like things never
change, everything is happening exactly as God planned. Judgment day is coming
and no one is going to escape it. He will judge and punish those who refuse to
trust in Jesus (Rev. 20:11-15). God’s
Reward. Revelation teaches us that believers are
constantly being challenged to remain faithful in the face of persecution. He
also shares that God will gloriously reveal the overcomers as his own children.
Just as the evil will have to face God’s judgment, his followers will
experience peace and eternal rest in his presence. God promises to give the
victorious the right to the tree of life that stands in God’s paradise (Rev.
2:7). |
- Jeff Arnette preaches for the Central Haywood church of Christ,
Clyde, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://centralhaywoodcoc.com/ |
WHY?
By Bill Brandstatter After the events
at Michigan State University, many may be asking one question: WHY? We live in a
country where blame is the name of the game. We want to blame someone or
something for the problems of our world. Some may blame guns. Some may be looking
for blame in other places. One thing I do know, God is not to blame. God does not
eliminate problems in our lives. He helps us in the midst of our troubles.
Remember, Paul told Timothy that the godly would suffer persecution in 2 Tim.
3:12. There were many people in Bible times who experienced troubles. The
apostle Paul had his share. He details some of them by stating: “I was beaten
with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day
I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of
my own countrymen.” (2 Cor. 11:26) Paul had a lot of bad things happen to him
at the hands of bad men. Was it God’s fault? Later, as he was put in prison by
the hands of evil men, Paul wrote: “I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13) He stated before this: “I have learned in whatever
state I am, to be content.” (Phil. 4:11) In his last imprisonment, about a
month before His death, he wrote; “The Lord stood with me and strengthened me
so that the message might be preached fully through me.” (2 Tim. 4:17 NKJV) It is interesting that Paul did not look to blame anybody. Paul looked to the Lord instead. We too must realize we live in a world of sin. Satan is active and is seeking to cause man to suffer in all kinds of ways. (1 Pet. 5:8) God made man with the power of choice. Throughout history, many have suffered because of evil choices made by many. Jesus suffered on the cross because of the choice of the many who said, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”; (Mark 15:14) and yet Jesus asked the Father to forgive them. (Luke 23:34) There is an effort to eliminate God from our society. Students can’t pray publicly in schools. Certain religious functions can’t take place on government-owned properties. We don’t need to eliminate God; we need to increase our emphasis on Him and include Him more. |
- Bill Brandstatter preaches for the Marion Church
of Christ in Marion, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's
website: http://marionchurchofchrist.com/ |
Living Up To Your Name
By Joe
Slater A popular cliché says, “There’s nothing in
a name.” That’s an overstatement, to say the least. Would you name your
daughter Jezebel? Names in Scripture often have significance.
My name is Joseph, the name Rachel gave to her firstborn son (Genesis 30:24).
The name means “add,” in keeping with her hope that “the Lord shall add to me
another son.” Sometimes a name reflected the person’s
character. Jacob’s name means supplant or deceive. Sure enough, in his early
years Jacob took undue advantage of his brother and hoodwinked his father. God
later changed Jacob’s name to Israel, meaning strive or wrestle with God
(Genesis 32:28). Jacob had wrestled with a physical manifestation of God as he
sought His blessing. No longer would he obtain what he desired by underhanded methods.
The change in names coincided with a change in character. People didn’t always live up to their name,
however. While the prophet Micaiah (“who is like Yahweh?”) behaved consistently
with that honorable name (1 Kings 22:14), his nemesis Zedekiah didn’t. Zedekiah
means “Yahweh is righteous,” which is certainly true. But Zedekiah was anything
but righteous and didn’t really respect the Lord righteousness or His righteous
word (1 King 22:24). If you are in Christ, you are a Christian,
the name the disciples were called in Antioch (Acts 11:26). Luke used a
peculiar word for “called” which indicates that the Lord Himself gave that name
(see Isaiah 62:2 where a new name was prophesied). It means one who belongs to Christ,
one who follows Christ. It differs little, if at all, from a disciple
(learner-follower). Let each one of us strive to live up to the noble name
“Christian”! |
- 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 |