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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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March 14, 2010
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Contents:
1) Who Is Jesus That I Should Follow Him? (Herschel E.
Patton)
2) Silent Before Him (Rick Liggin)
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-1-
Who Is Jesus That I Should Follow Him?
by Herschel E. Patton
The importance of following, obeying, or submitting to anyone, or
thing, depends on who or what is making a request or demand of us. Does
what we are asked to submit ourselves to have the right, power, or
ability to seek our submission and fulfill the promises made?
People are invited and urged, in the Bible, by evangelists and
individual followers of Jesus to believe in and follow Him. Jesus,
himself, said, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). An affirmative response on our
part depends on who he is and his ability to do what he says.
Who Is Jesus?
This question was often raised by the people when Jesus was on earth.
When Jesus made his triumphal entry to Jerusalem, with people crying,
"Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the
highest... all the city was moved, saying 'who is this'?" (Matt.
21:6-10). In the city, Jesus cleansed the Temple, healed the blind and
lame (12-14), and was asked by the chief priests and elders, "By what
authority doest thou these things? Who gave thee this authority?"
(23-27).
When Jesus healed a man possessed with a devil, blind and dumb, the
people were amazed and said, "Is not this the son of David? (Matt.
12:23). The people were rightly identifying him with the promised seed
of David (Acts 2:29-36).
Jesus was not just an ordinary man, like had appeared at various times
before, gained a following, but came to nought (Acts 5:34-41).
When Jesus asked his chosen disciples, "Whom do men say that I the son
of man am?" They replied, "Some say that thou art John the Baptist
(Herod thought this -- Matt. 14:2); Some Elijah; and others,
Jeremiah, or one of the prophets" (Matt. 16:3-14). These, however, were
wrong about who Jesus was. When Jesus put the question directly to His
chosen disciples, Peter rightly answered, "Thou art the Christ, the son
of the living God" (Matt. 16:16).
Historically, there was a man by the name of Jesus, who was born,
lived, attracted a lot of attention, was crucified, buried, and
disappeared mysteriously from the tomb in the place and time frame of
the New Testament. This is vividly confirmed in history. But, today, as
in that day, many are confused, and at a loss to explain who he REALLY
was.
Jesus Claimed To Be Deity
When Jesus healed the impotent man at the pool of Bethesda on the
Sabbath day, and was criticized, He said, "My Father worketh hitherto,
and I work." The Jews then sought to kill him, saying: "He not only had
broken the Sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making
himself equal with God." Jesus continued to affirm his deity saying,
"What things so ever He (God the Father) doeth, these also doeth the
Son likewise.... For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and
quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will." He further
said the Father, "hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all
men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father" (Jno.
5:17-23).
In verse 33 Jesus mentioned John the Baptist's witness of him. "The
next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb
of God, which taketh away the sin of the world... I knew
him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto
me, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on
him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I saw,
and bear record that this is the Son of God" (Jno. 1:15-34).
Further Evidence That Jesus Is "Son of God"
Prophecy of Jesus and it's fulfillment is proof that He was, indeed,
the Son of God.
Prophecy
Fulfillment
Born of a virgin -- Isa.
7:14 Lk. 1:26-35
Place of birth -- Mic.
5:2
Lk. 2:l-7
Heal -- Isa.
53:5
Mt. 8:17
Mocked/scourged -- Isa. 50:6 Mt.
27:26-31
Hands/feet pierced -- Ps. 22:16 Lk. 23:33
Gall and vinegar -- Ps.
69:21 Mt. 27:33,34
Garments divided -- Ps. 22:18 Jno.
19:23,24
No bones broken - - Ps. 34:20 Jno.
19:36
Be raised -- Ps.
16:10
Acts 2:23-28
The teaching of Jesus (Mt. 7:28-29; Jno. 7:46). His compassion
and mercy (Acts 10:38), and character (Jno. 8:46; 1 Pet. 2:22) all show
there was more to Jesus than common man. His many miracles were such
that brought from men the exclamation "Only God could do such" --
"Surely this was the Son of God."
God In The Flesh
When Mary, betrothed bride of Joseph, was found with child of the Holy
Spirit (Lk. 1:30-35), the angel appeared to Joseph and explained the
situation, and said, "Thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he
shall save his people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). It was further
revealed that all this fulfilled the prophecy (Isa. 7:14) that said,.
"Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and
they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, GOD WITH
US" (Matt. 1:19-23).
Paul listed as the first point in the "Mystery of Godliness," "God was
manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16). John wrote that the Word that
"was in the beginning, and by whom all things were made, was with God
and was God... and was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we
beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father), full
of grace and truth" (Jno. 1:14).
Much has been written of late about the deity and humanity of Jesus.
Many fine things have been written on both the deity and humanity of
Christ, but after reading an abundance of material written, every
writer has declared a belief in the fact Jesus was both God and man
while on earth. If anyone denies this, he would be going against
the passages already mentioned in this article that affirm Jesus, on
earth, was "God manifest in the flesh," and all miracles of Jesus that
were performed to convince people that He was "The Christ, the Son of
the living God" (Jno. 20:30-31). On the other hand, if one claimed
Jesus, on earth, was not completely human, but had an advantage over us
when he suffered or was tempted, this would be in conflict with Heb.
2:17-18: "...Behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he
might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he
himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are
tempted"; "For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with
the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as
we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). See also Phil. 2:7.
Who was Jesus while on earth? He was "God manifested in the flesh." He
proved to people here on earth that he was the Son of God by his works,
life, miracles, death on the cross, and resurrection. He is now
glorified, sitting on the right hand of God in heaven, reigning over
his people (church-kingdom).
If Jesus was and is all he claimed and proved himself to be, then
believing in, coming to, and submitting to His will is man's only hope
for salvation and eternal glory (Matt. 7:21; Heb. 5:8-9; Rev. 22:14).
This is why all should follow Him. He is, indeed, Bread of Life.
-- Via Searching the Scriptures, September 1992, Volume 33, Number 9
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-2-
Silent Before Him
by Rick Liggin
"But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before
Him" (Habakkuk 2:20).
In some churches, this text is often quoted or sung at the beginning of
the worship as if it meant that people must be "quiet in church." But
being "quiet in church" just is not the point of this verse at all. In
the context, Habakkuk contrasts the dumb wooden idols created by men
with the true God who sits on His throne. His point is that God, the
Creator, is in His holy temple, the place from which He speaks; His
creatures must therefore shut up and listen to Him! Men do not have the
authority to command, nor do the idols that they have created. God is
the One -- the only One -- who speaks with authority; He is the only
One who has the right to command, and we (His creatures) must listen to
and obey His voice.
You see, the point of this text is not related to our demeanor in
church services. It has to do with God's authority -- to which men must
quietly submit. Man must not rebel against God, nor must he try to
speak for God. What man must do is humbly listen to and obey the voice
of God -- and that's all.
When you see this as the real point of the verse, you will see that it
relates a lesson that modern religious men need to hear.
This, and many other Scriptures, makes it clear that we cannot have
God's approval unless we're willing to be quiet while He speaks. Jesus,
for example, taught that we must submit to the authority of God in
order to reach heaven; He said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord,
Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My
Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). Note that it is the Father's will
that must be done, not my will or your will or the will of some dumb
idol. And, according to the New Testament, we cannot know God's will
without His revealing it to us, which He has done in the written Word
(1 Cor. 2:11-13). The written Word, then, because it accurately relates
God's will to us, becomes that which must be obeyed. And without
obeying His will we cannot have His approval.
And so, when we start trying to figure out how to acceptably serve God,
we must have His Word on it. When we start doing things that we do not
have His permission to do, then we are not being silent before Him.
And right here is where most people in our religious world today get in
trouble: They do not want to be silent before the Lord. They will not
shut up long enough to hear what God wants, because they're too busy
inventing their own way of serving Him. Hundreds upon hundreds of
examples could be given of how man has added to and subtracted from
what God has said, and all of them prove that men are not listening to
God. When will modern men learn that our additions to and subtractions
from His Word are all our own creations, and are therefore no better
than the idols carved by the ancient pagans? These inventions will not
bring us closer to God; they will only serve to separate us further.
Indeed, God "is in His holy temple." And if we would be wise creatures,
we had better be quiet and listen to Him. We are His creation;
therefore "let all the earth be silent before Him."
-- Via The Beacon, February 2, 2010
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel,
for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ
(Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4;
Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith;
for,
if
not,
salvation
can
be
lost
(Heb.
10:36-39;
Rev.
2:10;
2
Pet.
2:20-22).
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CHURCH OF CHRIST
201 Rushing Road (at the Hampton Inn), Denham Springs, Louisiana
70726
Sunday services: 9:15 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 4 PM (worship)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520
tedwards1109@gmail.com
http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go
Directions:
Take the Denham Springs exit (exit 10) off of I-12. At the end of
the exit ramp, turn north. Go about a stone's throw to Rushing
Road. (You'll see a Starbucks, Circle K, and two other gas
stations; with each on each corner.) Turn left on Rushing Road,
and go less then 0.3 of a mile. Hampton Inn will be on the
right. We assemble in its meeting room, which is very close to
the reception counter.
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