--------------------
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).
--------------------
June 27, 2010
--------------------
Contents:
1) Toward a Deeper Devotion: No Progress Without Practice (Gary Henry)
2) Guarding our Priceless Liberty (Steve Klein)
3) Malchus' Ear (Greg Gwin)
--------------------
-1-
Toward a Deeper Devotion: No Progress Without Practice
by Gary Henry
The trait that distinguishes the adept from the inept is that the adept
have done certain things . . . over and over and over, every day, for
many years.
It is foolish to think that we can make progress in the habits of
godliness by doing nothing more than listening and learning. While
these are essential, they are not enough. It takes practice to make
progress, and we should not expect that to be any less true in
spiritual matters than in those of a worldly nature.
When we meet individuals who have become adept at the disciplines of
the godly life, we often suppose that they're just more devout than we
are. Or perhaps we think that they're more intelligent or insightful.
Or we wish that we could have read the books and heard the sermons that
they've read and heard. But when we think this way, we betray an
ignorance of the real thing that produces spiritual progress: practice.
The trait that distinguishes the adept from the inept is that the adept
have done certain things . . . over and over and over, every day, for
many years.
Prayer.
Not all of our prayers are of equal quality. Keeping in mind a
scriptural definition of "good" praying, it must be said that we do not
pray as well at some times as at others. Paul mentioned that "we do not
know what we should pray for as we ought" (Rom. 8:21), and the
disciples asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his
disciples" (Luke 11:1).
But how do you make progress in your prayer life? Well, we certainly
need to learn all that we can about the principles of prayer, but the
time comes when we have to start practicing the art of prayer. It
can't be learned any other way than by praying . . . over and
over and over, every day, for many years.
Understanding. It would be hard
to overestimate the importance of Bible study, but frankly, some people
do a better job than others of correctly understanding what the Bible
teaches. The Ethiopian eunuch, for example, was reading the fifty-third
chapter of Isaiah, but he was having trouble understanding what the
passage meant (Acts 8:30-34). So we need to work not only on the
quantity but also the quality of our Bible study.
But how do you make progress in your understanding of the Scriptures?
It can't be done by the simple investigation of hermeneutics; it
requires patient repetition of the act of Bible study. You're not
likely to find a mature, responsible student of God's word who arrived
at that point any other way than by doing Bible study . . . over and
over and over, every day, for many years.
Discretion. Isn't it refreshing
when we encounter some older Christian who has grown very wise in
matters of discretion and discernment? In a good sense, don't we
"envy" those who have learned how to size up a difficult situation and
see which course of action is best to take? Surely we do, and of all
the abilities we need in this life, none is more vital than the ability
to take God's general principles, apply them to a specific situation,
and discern what God would want done. Paul wrote, "Do not be
unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Eph. 5:17).
But how do you learn to be a better decision maker? There is only one
way, and the Hebrew writer put his finger on it when he spoke of those
"who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good
and evil" (Heb. 5:14).
In matters of godliness, then, there aren't any effective shortcuts.
Being a beginner is just hard; that's all there is to it. Some time
will have to pass before we can be more skilled. But the passage of
time will not, by itself, guarantee improvement (Heb. 5:12); we have to
actually do the things that need improving -- and do them
repeatedly. So let's look for every opportunity to practice the
things we want to improve. God deserves nothing less than our very
best, and the best that we can do won't be done unless we pray and
study our Bibles and use our discretion -- over and over and over,
every day, for many years.
-- Via Truth Magazine, January 2007, Volume L1, Number 1
--------------------
-2-
Guarding our Priceless Liberty
by Steve Klein
Over 200 years ago, inhabitants of 13 British colonies in North America
revolted against the taxation and oppression imposed on them by of the
king of England. They proceeded to engage in an epic struggle for
their freedom -- a struggle which they ultimately won, but which cost
the blood of many patriots. This week, on Memorial Day, our
nation remembers the thousands who gave their lives for our initial
freedom and the hundreds of thousands who have given their all to
maintain it. They are deserving of honor from every citizen (cf.
Romans 13:7).
Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus shed His blood for our spiritual
freedom. God's people had been in bondage, but Christ's death
liberated them. We remember His ultimate sacrifice for our liberty in a
memorial called the Lord's Supper.
In Galatians 5:1, the apostle Paul pleads with the Galatian Christians
to "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us
free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." The
"yoke of bondage" Paul refers to is the Old Testament Law of
Moses. Paul has in view especially what the Law said about
circumcision, but he makes the point that any man who binds one part of
the law on himself "is a debtor to keep the whole law" (Galatians
5:3). We have been freed from keeping that Law; we are "no
longer under" it! (Galatians 3:24-25). By His sacrifice, Christ
has "redeemed us from the curse of the Law" (Galatians
3:13). To go back to keeping Moses' Law would be like a
citizen of the United States going back to living under the rule of the
king of England. It would show tremendous disregard and disdain
for the blood that had been shed to procure our liberty.
And yet, we have many friends and neighbors who are doing just that;
they are failing to honor the blood of Jesus by going back to a Law
that He died to free them from. How are they doing this?
* By
going back to the Law to justify tithing. While the Law of
Moses required that each individual living under the Law give a tenth
of what they possessed (Leviticus 27:30-33; Numbers 18:21-32), Christ
liberated us from that Law. He desires that His people give
liberally, but not "of necessity" (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
* By
going back to the Law to justify instrumental music. In
the Psalms, the Law commanded the use of instrumental music in worship
to God (Psalm 150:3-6). Please note that in John 10:34, when
Jesus quoted from the Psalms, He referred to it as "your law."
This is the Law that Jesus died to free us from. His desire for
us today is that we simply sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs,
making melody in our hearts (Ephesians 5:19).
* By
going back to the Law to justify Sabbath keeping. The Law
of Moses required people to "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy"
(Exodus 20:8). Jesus "wiped out" this and other Old Testament
requirements, nailing them to His cross (Colossians 2:14). As a
result, no one can judge or condemn us today for not keeping the
Sabbath (Colossians 2:16).
* By going back to the Law to justify
a separate priesthood. The Law ordained a separate
priesthood (Exodus 29). Christ's death did away with that Law and
the Levitical priesthood it authorized. "For the priesthood being
changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law" (Hebrews
7:12). Jesus is now our High Priest, and every Christian is part
of a holy priesthood (Hebrews 7:25-26; 1 Peter 2:5).
Members of churches of Christ are often asked questions like, "Why
don't you use instrumental music in worship?" or "Why don't you people
tithe?" Maybe the simplest answer would be, "We don't do those
things because we are protecting our freedom!" "Stand fast
therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not
be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."
-- Via The Bulletin of the Church of Christ at New Georgia, May 30,
2010
--------------------
-3-
Malchus' Ear
by Greg Gwin
Christians are often disappointed and discouraged when they fail to
convince their unbelieving friends and relatives to accept the truth
from the Scriptures. They ask questions like: "How can they ignore the
evidence?" and "It's so obvious, why can't they see it?" These are good
questions. We understand your frustration. We agree -- it is not
logical for people to ignore the abundance of available proof.
Do you recall the occasion when Judas brought a band of armed men to
arrest Jesus? Peter, thinking to defend Him with force, drew out
his sword. Each of the gospel writers describe him cutting off the ear
of Malchus, a servant of the high priest. Jesus rebuked Peter, and Luke
tells us that He proceeded to heal the severed ear (Luke 22:51). Think
about that a minute! In the presence of this mob of angry conspirators
Jesus worked a miracle. They saw it! Yet still they proceeded to
participate in the events that led to the unjust murder of God's own
Son.
We remind you of this simply to illustrate that prejudiced men have
always ignored evidence that contradicts their predetermined positions.
If the Scribes and Pharisees could see the many miracles of Jesus and
still call for his crucifixion, we should not be too surprised when men
today reject the plain truths of God's word.
But, there is another, more positive lesson to be learned here. Jesus
said in John 10:18, "No man taketh (my life) from me but I lay it down
of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it
again." In healing Malchus' ear, Jesus proved His point. By working
that miracle He showed that He had unlimited power to save His own
life, but He refused to use it. He died willingly for our sins. What a
Savior!
-- Via The Beacon, May 18, 2010
--------------------
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).
--------------------
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
tedwards@onemain.com
tedwards1109@gmail.com
http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go (Gospel Observer website)
http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/audioser.html (audio sermons)
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 a little less than 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. Just walk pass the check-in counter; turn
right at the hall. The first and second doors on the left lead to
where we meet.
--------------------