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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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September 4, 2016
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Contents:
1) Jesus Receives Sinners (Mike Willis)
2) Are We Ashamed? (Whit Sasser)
3) News & Notes
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-1-
Jesus Received Sinners
Mike Willis
One of the charges frequently made against Jesus was that he
received and ate with sinners. The charge was made when he attended
a feast at the house of the publican Matthew (Matt. 9:9-12; Mark
2:16-17). Some charged that he was a "friend of publicans and
sinners" at the same time they said he was a winebibber and glutton
(Matt. 11:19). When he went into the home of Zacchaeus, his enemies
charged, "That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner"
(Luke 19:7).
The occasion for the three parables in Luke 15 was this: "Then drew
near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the
Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners,
and eateth with them" (Luke 15:1-2). In response to this charge,
Jesus gave the three parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and
the lost son (the prodigal son) to show how the loving God searches
for and seeks the ones who are lost.
The Conduct of the Pharisees
Why were the Pharisees upset by Jesus' association with sinners?
What were they charging him with when they criticized him? To answer
this, one must know how the Pharisees treated sinners. The Pharisees
were the "separated ones" because they refused to associate with
sinners.
We get a glimpse of how they treated sinners from several allusions
in the Gospels. When Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well,
she was astounded and said, "How is it that thou, being a Jew,
askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have
no dealings with the Samaritans" (John 4:9).
When Jesus went into the house of Simon the Pharisee, an immoral
woman washed Jesus' feet with her tears, dried them with her hair,
and put ointment on them. Simon thought, "This man, if he were a
prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that
toucheth him: for she is a sinner" (Luke 7:39). Again, we see how
the Jews treated sinners.
Lenski explains that the Pharisees' practice of washing one's hands
before they eat was "for fear that the hands had brushed against a
Gentile or against something belonging to a Gentile" (Matthew 582).
A Sinful Separation From Sinners
There is a sinful kind of separation from sinners of which the
Pharisees were guilty and which saints must avoid. There is a
separation from sinners born of self-righteousness, contempt for
others, and condescension. This is what the Pharisees had. We must
guard our hearts from feeling a similar superiority to the lost.
Sometimes, a person feels morally superior to others as if he is
what he is through human achievement -- through works. The
temptation to be self-righteous and show contempt for others may
occur when one sees a homosexual suffering from AIDS, an alcoholic,
a homeless person, or other socially contemptible sinners. We should
have the same mind as Paul when he said, "By the grace of God I am
what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10).
Several years ago, I drove by a homeless person in Nashville,
Tennessee. The woman did not look like she had taken a bath in
months. Her hair was matted worse than any dog's hair that I have
seen. Suddenly, the thought flashed through my mind, "Some mother
gave birth to this person. She was her precious little baby. I must
remember that her soul is just as precious as mine." Let us guard
ourselves from viewing sinners like the Pharisees did.
A Sinful Association With Sinners
There is a sinful kind of association with sinners. The Scriptures
command a certain kind of separation in such passages as the
following:
"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Cor.
15:33).
"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come
with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the
innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave;
and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all
precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: Cast in thy
lot among us; let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in
the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path" (Prov.
1:10-15).
"Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of
evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away"
(Prov. 4:14-15).
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what
communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ
with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the
temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them,
and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my
people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,
saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive
you" (2 Cor. 6:14-17).
Whenever a man associates with sinners in such a way as to (a)
participate with them in that which is sinful or (b) condone their
sinful activity, he has been guilty of sin! Jesus never was guilty
of doing either of these.
The Charge Against Jesus
When the Pharisees charged Jesus with associating with publicans and
sinners, they were charging him with having fellowship with sin and
sinners. We have an adage that says, "Birds of a feather flock
together." This is basically the Pharisees' charge against Jesus.
The Pharisees charged that Jesus associated with publicans and
sinners because he was a sinner.
Why Jesus Associated With Sinners
Jesus associated with sinners for the express purpose of saving
their souls. He compared his association with sinners to that of a
physician associating with the sick, saying, "They that are whole
have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to
call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17). Again he
said, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was
lost" (Luke 19:10).
What Jesus Did
Jesus ate with sinners. When he was invited into their homes as a
guest, he went for the express purpose of trying to save their
souls. I wonder how we would view Jesus' actions today.
If one of our faithful members went to a restaurant with one who had
a vile reputation, would we think of him like the Pharisees thought
of Jesus? If one invited one with a vile reputation into his home or
went to their home would someone criticize him or worry that he may
be "slipping" because some of his best friends were non-Christians?
Conclusion
We must have enough association with sinners to reach them with the
gospel. If we withdraw ourselves from all contact with sinners, we
can never save their souls. The monks and nuns have withdrawn their
association from sinners to such an extent that they dwell in a
convent. We may have acted in a similar way by our lack of
association with lost. How can we ever convert someone with whom we
do not associate?
-- Via Guardian of Truth XL: 5 p. 2, March 7, 1996
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"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one...for all
have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:10, 23).
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Are We Ashamed?
Whit Sasser
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power
of God to salvation" (Romans 1:16)
When churches try to lure people to their services by means of
gimmicks and big promotions, they make a big mistake. Bingo parties,
musical entertainment, films, dinners and such like, only cheapen
the gospel in the minds of thinking people. A bigger
attendance may be the short term effect, but less respect for God is
the long term effect. If you gain souls by carnal means, then carnal
means will be needed to hold them. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the
power of GOD unto salvation, and though fewer may respond to it,
salvation is only therein.
-- Via The Beacon, May 10, 2016
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-3-
News & Notes
Let those of us who are God's children be keeping the following in
prayer:
We extend our condolences to the family and friends of Warren
Beach (Jim Lively's nephew) who passed away August 29 at just
43 years of age.
Our sympathies also go out to the loved ones of Henry James
(Jim) Claridge III who also passed away August 29 in his home
in Tallahassee.
Jim Lively is on the mend. He has begun some physical
therapy at home, which will later be followed by a more extensive
and medically supervised cardiac rehab for a 90-day period.
Here is an update on Barbara Sutherland (Jan Bartlett's
cousin) whom we had been praying for: She is thankful for our
prayers. Her radiation treatments were completed, and her
cancer is gone!
Let us also now be praying for Barbara Sutherland's sister,
LaDonna Andrews, who had surgery on August 19 for colon
cancer.
It was good to hear that Rex Cothren will no longer need to
have brain surgery, due to the infantile soft spot having now opened
and, thus, relieving the pressure that had been on the brain.
Debra Medlock has recently been having some back trouble.
Shirley Davis has now been told she will also have to have
knee surgery in the near future, but she has not yet been given a
date for that -- nor for her foot and back problems.
Let us also continue to remember in prayer: Camp Tatum
(cancer cells of the spine), Kelly Fleeman (receiving
treatments for lymphoma), Joyce Rittenhouse (liver tests),
James Medlock (for his health), Brianna Mackey
(year-long therapy), Mary Vandevander (housebound), and Sue
Wooten (nursing home).
We are glad to have Doug and Marie Pennock back with us,
after their having been away up north for a couple months this
summer!
The church of Christ in Hoboken, Georgia, at 5101 Main
Street, will be having a Gospel Meeting September
9-11 with Verlin Cox from Lake City, Florida, as the
guest speaker. Times will be 7 p.m. for Friday and Saturday.
Sunday services will be at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 5
p.m. The 5 sermons will be in this order: 1) "You
Thought I Was Altogether Like You!," 2) "Liberal or Conservative?,"
3) "Men Not Needed in the Lord's Church!," 4) "Women Not Needed in
the Lord's Church!," and 5) "Young People Not Needed in the Lord's
Church!"
WordPress version of this week's bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2016/09/08/the-gospel-observer-september-4-2016/
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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, living for the Lord; for, if
not, salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet.
2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10
AM & 5 PM (worship)
Wednesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 614-8593
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com
(Gospel Observer website with pictures in WordPress)
http://thomastedwards.com/go
(Older version of Gospel Observer website without pictures, but
back to March 1990)
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html
(audio sermons)