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Our Gospel Meeting In Review
Saturday, November 19, 2022Our Gospel Meeting In Review
Wade Webster
We prayed diligently for God to bless our Gospel meeting (Mt. 7:7-8). I believe that all will agree that He did so abundantly (Eph. 3:20). Now, it is fitting that we name some of these blessings and thank Him for them (Eph. 5:20). The sweet psalmist of Israel declared, “Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits” (Psa. 103:1-2).
Thank God For Visitors
We were blessed with a couple of visitors from the community. We had one visitor as a result of the Saturday morning that we spent hanging meeting invitations on neighborhood doors. We had another visitor as a result of a personal invitation from one of our members (John 4:28-30). It was so encouraging to see the fruit of our efforts and prayers. I believe that you will agree that these visitors make us want to do more work in our neighborhood (Isa. 2:3). We also had a number of visitors from area congregations. I noted visitors from at least eight different congregations. Several of these visitors drove over an hour to be with us. As these area congregations host events, we need to return the favor and support them.
Thank God For Fellowship
The Gospel meeting gave us a number of opportunities for fellowship (Acts 2:42). First, we enjoyed fellowship on the Saturday morning that we went out in teams to invite families from our community to our Gospel meeting. We had breakfast together, prepared door-hangers together, and went from door to door and from house to house together (Lk. 10:1). Second, we enjoyed a fellowship meal and a period of fellowship following the first two services of our Gospel meeting. We challenged our ladies before the meeting to prepare extra food to accommodate any visitors that we might have. Our ladies rose to the challenge. We had several visitors and still had plenty of food remaining when everyone was full (Mt. 14:20). Thank you ladies for preparing such a wonderful meal for us. Third, we enjoyed fellowship before and after each service. It was especially wonderful to see brethren hanging around after the services to talk and to visit with each other (Psa. 133:1). Fourth, it was great to see some spend time together during the week hosting the visiting preacher. I know that B. J. appreciated these meals and that it was a blessing for these individuals to get to know him better.
Thank God For Preaching
B.J. Clarke did an excellent job presenting lessons. I think all were impressed with the creativity and clarity of the lessons (2 Cor. 1:12; John 10:24). No one left any service wondering what was preached or what God wanted them to do in response to it. We could not have asked for B. J. to have done any better than he did. If you missed any of the lessons, want to hear them again, or would like to share them with someone else, they can be accessed through the congregation’s website. Please continue to pray for B. J., Tish, and the work that they are doing for the Lord.
For sure, there were many other blessings connected with our Gospel meeting. I simply mentioned three of the blessings that stood out the most to me.
The Christian and Civil Government (Part 2)
Saturday, November 12, 2022The Christian and Civil Government (Part 2)
B. J. Clarke
The Christian is a member of the church of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:47; Rom. 16:16). It is not a democracy. It is a monarchy, with Christ as its sole legislator. He is King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim. 6:15). Consequently, His subjects must always acquiesce to His will. What does the Bible teach about the relationship of a Christian to civil government? Consider the teaching of Jesus, Paul, and Peter.
The Apostle Paul And Civil Government
The Jews were especially reluctant to subject themselves to the Roman government, and those Jews who became Christians might be prone to fight against Rome and thereby rebel against her authority to govern their lives. However, Paul leaves no doubt as to the proper relationship between the Christian and civil government. Romans 13:1-7 reveals:
- Every soul is to be subject to the higher powers (v.1).
- The powers that be are ordained of God, i.e., God is the author of civil government (v.1).
- Therefore, to rebel against the authority of human government is to rebel against the authority of God, Who gave the government its powers in the first place (v. 2).
- To oppose the authority of human government is to invite damnation (v. 2).
- We can be free from the fear of those in authority if we do what is right (v. 3).
- God intended for government to be a servant to the people for the good of the people (v. 4). Try to imagine what it would be like to live in a lawless society.
- God has given the government authority to execute wrath upon evildoers (v. 4). The word “sword” in verse 4 refers to the state’s right to punish evildoers even unto death (Gen. 9:6; John 19:10-11; Acts 25:11).
- Two reasons are given for our submission to government: (1) to avoid penalty or punishment; (2) to have a clear conscience with God (v. 5).
- These are the same reasons we should pay our taxes (vv. 6-7). After all, government officials are, in reality, God’s servants. Some refuse to pay income taxes on the grounds that the government uses the revenue improperly. We have seen already that Jesus instructed His followers to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s (Mat. 22:15-22). Do you suppose that Jesus agreed with everything that Caesar (Rome) did with the revenue they received from taxes? Also, remember that the Holy Spirit led Paul to write, “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor” (Rom. 13:7). Did Paul not know how corrupt the Roman government was at the time he penned these words? In fact, it was as bad as, or worse, than many governments of today. Yet, Paul still commanded the Roman Christians to pay their taxes.
Paul’s teaching about the Christian’s relationship to government can be summarized in two other passages:
‘I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty’ (1 Tim. 2:1-2).
‘Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work’ (Tit. 3:1).
The Christian and Civil Government (Part 1)
Sunday, November 06, 2022The Christian and Civil Government (Part 1)
B. J. Clarke
The Christian is a member of the church of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:47; Rom. 16:16). It is not a democracy. It is a monarchy, with Christ as its sole legislator. He is King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim. 6:15). Consequently, His subjects must always acquiesce to His will. What does the Bible teach about the relationship of a Christian to civil government? Consider the teaching of Jesus, Paul, and Peter.
Jesus And Civil Government
“And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a king” (Luke 23:1-2). This was a false accusation. What Jesus actually said is recorded in Matthew 22:15-22. Jesus did not forbid people to give tribute to Caesar. Rather, He acknowledged that man had certain responsibilities to government and certain responsibilities to God. Even the Old Testament, under which Jesus lived, declared: “My son, fear thou the Lord and the king” (Pro. 24:21).
Jesus respected human government although He was superior to it. When Jesus and the disciples came to Capernaum, certain tax-collectors came to Peter and said,
Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers? Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee (Matt. 17:24-27).
From this passage we observe: (1) As King of the earth, Jesus had the authority to excuse Himself and His children from paying tribute. (2) Jesus did not argue with the authority of rulers to demand payment for taxes. (3) To set the right example, Jesus did obey the laws of human government. He did pay His taxes.
The Immeasurable Love of Christ
Friday, October 28, 2022The Immeasurable Love of Christ
David Sproule
Paul finished his masterful dissertation on the church of the Christ, and he began to close the “doctrinal” section of his letter to the Ephesians before beginning the “practical section.” In this transition, he penned a prayer on behalf of his brethren, in which he made at least five distinct requests. The fourth desire in his list is that God “would grant” them to “be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge” (Eph. 3:14-19). Ponder, for a moment, the love of Christ. There is no greater subject on which to meditate! How much can you stretch your mind around it?
The width of Christ’s love. Perhaps this is to draw our minds to the truth that the love of Christ embraces all people, regardless of race, culture, social status, economic status, education, etc. When Jesus died on the cross, He literally stretched His arms as wide as they would go to demonstrate the all-encompassing love He has for mankind (Rom. 5:8; Heb. 2:9; 2 Cor. 5:15). No one is excluded!
The length of Christ’s love. Perhaps this is to draw our minds to the truth that the love of Christ “never fails” (1 Cor. 13:8). From eternity past (before the foundation of the world, 1 Pet. 1:19-21) into eternity future (if we can use such terminology), His love for you always has been, currently is and always will be! How far has He gone to prove His love?
The depth of Christ’s love. Perhaps this is to draw our minds to the truth that the love of Christ compelled Him to leave the splendor and glory of heaven (John 17:5) to come down into the depths of the earth (Phil. 2:5-8), in order to reach down and save the vilest of sinners (1 Tim. 1:12-15; 1 Cor. 6:9-11). Even though we were “dead in trespasses and sins,” “His great love with which He loved us” (Eph. 2:1-4) drove Him to incomprehensible depths!
The height of Christ’s love. Perhaps this is to draw our minds to the truth that the love of Christ raises one up from the waters of baptism and honors him to wear the name that is above every name—the name of Christ (1 Pet. 4:16), and makes him to “sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6)—i.e., the church (Eph. 3:21). Even more, He has “reserved” (1 Pet. 1:3-5) an eternal home “in heaven above” (cf. Deut. 4:39).
After talking about “the width and length and depth and height” of the love of Christ, Paul then says that it “surpasses knowledge” (i.e., it extraordinarily exceeds any scale on which we could place it)! That is why I wrote with each expression, “Perhaps this is to draw our minds.” The reality is that we will never be able to measure and fully comprehend the immensity of the love of Christ! What a thought!
Showing Up Isn’t Sufficient
Saturday, October 22, 2022Showing Up Isn’t Sufficient
Wade Webster
For the last several weeks we have been discussing some things that we have learned or can learn about worship from the gym. I hope that in the short time that we have been engaged in this study that we all are in better shape spiritually. In this lesson, we will see that showing up at the gym or worship services by itself is a good start, but it is not sufficient.
There are folks at the gym who are working out. Imagine that! They get it. However, there are others who are just hanging out. They are sitting on a piece of exercise equipment looking around or texting. “Well, at least, they are there” some might say. True. Others might add, “Well, at least they aren’t at the movies with a bucket of buttered popcorn.” True. However, I believe that you will agree that being at the gym and sitting on a piece of exercise equipment will do little for a person, unless they work out while they are sitting there. All the activity in the world around them won’t burn any calories or build any muscle for them. They are just fooling themselves and others if they believe that their presence alone will profit them.
I wonder how many people do the same thing when it comes to worship. They come to the church building faithfully. They are there in body, but not in mind. They are seated on a pew, but they are not worshipping. Like those we talked about at the gym, they are just hanging out. “Well,” you say, “at least, they are at worship.” True. They are at the right place and assembled with the right people (Heb. 10:25). Others say, “Well, at least, they are not at the movies or at the gym or on the golf course or still in the bed.” Very true. However, I think that you will agree that worship will not benefit them if they are not engaged in it (Mat. 15:7-10). As you likely know, worship is a verb. It involves action. Those who sit on a pew at church for an hour without worshipping are the spiritual equivalent of those who sit on a piece of gym equipment for an hour without working out. Just as others can’t work out for you, others can’t worship for you. You have to sing, give, commemorate, study, and pray in order for worship to profit you (Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2). If you think that by showing up that you have done enough, then you are deceiving yourself. Others might also be deceived, but not God (John 4:23-24).
As we get ready to worship this week, we must do more than show up and sit down. We must worship. We must be an active participant and not a passive spectator.