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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 26, 2017
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Contents:
1) Remembering the Past (David Watson)
2) Futile Figuring (Dan Shipley)
3) News & Notes
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-1-
Remembering the Past
David Watson
The past can be a painful reminder. Everyone has moments in
their past that they regret and wish could be forgotten. Bad
decisions, relationships, and mistakes pour bitter memories on our
hearts and sometimes leave us with festering wounds that take years,
or even a lifetime, to heal. It is these memories and feelings
that, for the average person, force us to spend the rest of our
lives trying to avoid the memory of these mistakes.
Yet on a more positive side of things, there are memories that bring
us just as much joy as the bad memories bring us pain. When we
think back on these moments we can’t help but smile, and feelings of
refreshment — whether they be thankfulness, warmth, comfort, or the
like — fill our hearts again, leaving us full and revived.
In spite of the agonizing memory of our spiritual mistakes or the
revitalizing nature of our sweetest spiritual moments, there often
comes a point in our Christian walk in which we become somewhat
comfortable, maybe even passive, in our relationship with
Christ. Over time, we become used to the message of the cross
and comfortable with its call and conditions. This is not far
from what the church at Ephesus was experiencing. Though
written after the book of Ephesians, Revelation says this concerning
the Ephesian church: “…I have this against you, that you have left
your first love. Remember therefore from where you have
fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you
quickly and remove your lampstand from its place – unless you
repent” (Revelation 2:4-5). A similar appeal is seen by Paul
in his letter to the Ephesians when he says, “Therefore, remember
that you, once Gentiles in the flesh, were without Christ... having
no hope and without God in the world (Eph. 2:11-13).
What is the value of remembering where we have come from? What
is the value of ruminating on the past? Although at one time
Paul did emphasize his efforts to forget his past of devout
commitment to Judaism and the law (Phil. 3:13), both Paul and Jesus
wanted the Ephesians to remember their past for a reason.
Notice Paul’s appeal to the Ephesians. In the midst of an
effort to motivate these brethren to “walk worthy of the calling”
(Eph. 4:1), Paul feels it necessary to remind the Ephesians where
they came from. Their past was nothing short of despair,
illustrated by Paul’s identification of them as “dead in their
trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1) and “by nature children of wrath,
just as the others" (2:3). This alone didn’t serve as a
sufficient reminder, seeing as how Paul continues to remind them
that they were “without Christ” and had “no hope” and were “without
God in the world" (Eph. 2:12) prior to their obedience to Him.
Why would such bitter memories and descriptions of their past be
beneficial to the Ephesians in their current state? Though
some would consider this to be counterintuitive, there is wisdom
found here. Consider yourself for a moment – as suggested
earlier, have you ever felt comfortable, or passive, in your walk
with Christ? Have you felt as if your drive to obey was weak
and your motivation to please Him was lacking or even
nonexistent? Forgetting where we came from in our relationship
with Christ is as harmful as not calling to mind everything our
parents or mentors did for us in our childhood/formidable
years. To forget our weakness without them is to forget the
blessing of having them. When we call to mind where we once
were without Christ — dead, without hope, and without God — there is
a sobriety that ought to overwhelm us. A sobriety brought on
by the remembrance of our horrible and sinful past. Yet this
does not leave us empty handed. As was the case with the
Ephesians, these same memories ultimately lead us to a remembrance
of the warmth, comfort and thankfulness we ought to feel in Christ.
While observing Paul’s appeal to remember our sins in Ephesians 2 is
beneficial for rededication to Christ, Christ’s appeal in Revelation
2:4-5 adds an element to our rededication to Him. “Remember
therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first
works…” (Rev. 2:5). Though our passivity toward Christ can
come from a lack of remembrance of our sinful and desperate state,
there is a degree to which when we forget “our first love,” we
become lukewarm. Just as a remembrance of the sweetest moments
of our lives overwhelms us with feelings of happiness, so ought our
remembrance of His love do the same. Simply remembering our
sinful past does nothing more for us than bring back painful
memories, but when coupled with the love of Christ, it can motivate
us to “walk worthy” again. After Paul brought back their
memories of their former state, he reminded the Ephesians of what
God did for them in spite of it: “even when we were dead in
trespasses, [He] made us alive together with Christ (by grace you
have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit
together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:5-6).
Often when we feel passive about Christ, we have forgotten who He is
– our first love! When we call to mind what our first love has
done for us in spite of our sins, we ought to be motivated to
repentance and rededication to Him —“remember therefore from where
you have fallen; repent and do the first works.”
Yes, remembering our past can be a painful thing. But with
Christ, it can be something beautiful and healing. Take the
time to remember where you came from, and if need be, from where you
have fallen. If these memories touch you, then repentance will
follow, and all that will be left is a rededication to your first
love.
-- Via articles from the Eastside church of Christ, Athens, Alabama
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-2-
Futile Figuring
Dan Shipley
"Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin
against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? Jesus saith unto
him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy
times seven" (Matt. 18:21, 22).
There are times when it is best to forget the arithmetic. One such
time, as Jesus implies here, is when it involves extending
forgiveness. Since God will not forgive the unforgiving (Matt.
6:14,15), any limitations imposed on man's showing mercy would also
limit his receiving it. The parable introduced by Peter's question
makes this very point. Like the unmerciful servant, every Christian
has received infinitely more than he could ever pay out in the coin
of forgiveness. Why, then, this business of score keeping? Why taint
mercy with a spirit of reluctance? Where mercy is needed, counting
is criminal. The important thing is not "how many," but to forgive
from a truly merciful heart (Matt. 18:35).
Another time when "How many?" becomes a needless is when it is
applied to the number who will be saved. An inquirer apparently had
this in mind when asking Jesus, "Lord, are they few that are saved?"
(Lk. 13:23). Without involving Himself in the arithmetic of the
matter, Jesus shows at once where the concern should be: "Strive to
enter...” The important thing is what about ME? — and whether I am
striving to enter. The business of saving self (Acts 2:40) deserves
priority because that's where we can do most. Only with a striving
ME can we help the few to be many. A similar, but equally fruitless,
concern of some involves itself with how many will be in heaven (not
the same, with them, as how many will be saved). They wrongly
envision a whole host of saved dwelling in an earthly kingdom, but
only 144,000 making up the "little flock" of priests and kings in
heaven. Again, the important thing is my striving, but for what? —
certainly not a glorified earth-bound existence! The only eternal
abode of the saved is in heaven. That is where the inheritance of
the righteous is reserved (1 Pet. 1:4); that is where our hope is
laid up (Col. 1:5); and that is where Jesus has gone (1 Pet. 3:22)
to prepare a place in which the redeemed can be with Him (Jn.
14:2,3). Its inhabitants are not limited by a fixed decree of God,
but only by a striving by faith to do His will from the heart (Matt.
7:21).
Yet another area of futile figuring concerns the time of Christ's
return. Some have been so bold as to set specific dates, the coming
of which did not bring Christ, but only frustration and
disappointment. Yet, in spite of such failures, "wiser" ones keep on
figuring and letting us in on what the Lord said no man or angel
could know (Matt. 24:36). The important thing is that He is coming,
not when! What difference should that make to the faithful?
Admittedly, our time IS short! — not because we know Christ is
coming soon, but because we will be leaving soon! But for now, God's
longsuffering continues. The time is too short for idle pursuits and
hindering speculations. We must look carefully to how we live — and
be wise, redeeming the time.
— Via Plain Talk, February 1980, Vol. XVI, No. XII, Pg. 3
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News & Notes
The prayers of the saints will be appreciated for the following:
Jim Lively was admitted to the hospital on the 20th and is
still there. Seven of the prescriptions he had been on had
each produced dizziness, so Jim is now on some different medications
and already noticing an improvement; but it might be a few weeks
before it results in a more thorough change to his system!
Misty Thornton completed her testing in Jacksonville last
week. She writes, "I have the all clear with my gastric bypass
doctor and all of my numbers look super awesome. With the exception
of possible B12 deficiency and potassium deficiency. So I will
start B12 immediately and then potassium in different forms..."
Shirley Arnold (Mary Vandevander’s room mate in the nursing
home) has a condition that hinders her from eating. A recent
trial medication for 7 days had good results; but after running out,
she has been back to not eating again for the last several days,
while awaiting a similar medication.
Let us also remember in prayer: Lexi Crawford, Kay Byars,
Tanya Terrones, Penny Medlock, La Donna Andrews, Charles Crosby,
Mary Vandevander, Shirley Davis, Brianna Mackey, Billy Lowe,
and Tom Haney
WordPress version of this week's bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2017/03/31/the-gospel-observer-march-26-2017/
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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)
Tuesday: 7 p.m. (Ladies' Bible class)
Wednesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 614-8593
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
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pictures in WordPress)
http://thomastedwards.com/go (Older version of Gospel Observer
website without pictures, but back to March 1990)
http://tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org/
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