“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” (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).
——————–
Contents:
1) “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” (Heath Rogers)
2) The Weapons of Our Warfare (Gilbert Alexander)
3) All Notions (Irvin Himmel)
4) Judas Iscariot (video sermon, Tom Edwards)
5) News & Notes
——————–
-1-
“I Know That My Redeemer Lives”
Heath Rogers
Job suffered terribly, but never surrendered his faith. He did more than just maintain a belief in God. Job believed that God was personally interested in his situation and would eventually come to his defense.
In his sixth speech, Job said, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth” (Job 19:25). Notice three things regarding Job’s declaration:
First, Job did not say “I think,” or “I hope,” but “I know.” In the Hebrew text, the verb know is stated in the perfect tense, which expresses certainty. There were a lot of things that Job did not know or understand. He did not know why he lost his belongings and his children. He was disappointed by his wife and his friends. Job expressed numerous speculations throughout his sufferings, but his faith in God remained a firm and decisive conviction. Job knew his God was real.
Second, Job referred to God as his Redeemer. In the Old Testament, the word redeemer always has the primary meaning of deliverer. This Hebrew term used in this text meant to do the part of a kinsman in redeeming or delivering his relative from difficulty or danger. The same Hebrew word was used when the Law of Moses called upon a relative to redeem a kinsman from slavery (Lev. 25:48) or to regain family property (Lev. 25:25). This word also referred to the relative who would avenge the blood of one who was murdered (Deut. 19:6-12). Job was convinced that, regardless of what was happening to him, God was the One who would deliver him and make things right again.
Finally, Job said that God “lives.” This conviction is in contrast to the fact that Job knew he would die (Job 19:26). After all was said and done, God would be the last One standing, and He would have the final word. This was Job’s hope. He did not have the answers, but He knew God did.
James uses Job’s experiences as a means of encouraging suffering Christians. “Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord — that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful” (James 5:11). Job persevered until the end. God had the final say. Job’s health and possessions were restored. He was vindicated, while his accusing friends had to make atonement for their sins (Job 42:7-10).
When we are suffering in this life, we need to do more than maintain a faith in the existence of God. Like Job, we need to see God as our Redeemer. He is our loved One who is looking out for our best interest. God will vindicate, deliver, and rescue us. Even after we are dead and gone, God will still be here, and He will have the final word. Put your confidence in your Redeemer who lives.
— Via Articles of the Knollwood church of Christ, June 2021
——————–
-2-
The Weapons of Our Warfare
Gilbert Alexander
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Cor. 10:4-6).
Ours is a spiritual war. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). Our weapons are aptly suited to the battle before us and around us. Superior weaponry is one key to victory in battle. “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 Jno. 4:4); therefore, victory can be ours. Not all opponents will be won to the side of truth, for some will not hear and accept truth; but the doctrine of Christ can put to silence the ignorance of foolish men (Titus 1:9-11). By our embracing the righteousness of the gospel and abstaining from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, and by lives of submission to authority and doing good according to the gospel we can silence the false accusers (1 Pet. 2:11-17).
The superiority of our weapons is not based on sophistication and complexity. David’s sling and smooth stones might seem primitive, but they were effectual for the purpose. Truth may appear to many people to be ineffectual against treachery and deceit, yet it is the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17). Faith in God no doubt seems to be helpless before the onslaught of error; yet, properly lifted up and ably wielded, it can quench every fiery dart of the wicked (Eph. 6:16). Humility and submission to properly exercised authority may be cast aside by the unbelieving as weak and powerless, but these attitudes are part of the armament of God (1 Pet. 2:13-17).
Superiority of weaponry, one key to victory, by itself does not win the war. The finest sword, sheathed, does not defeat any enemies. We must apply ourselves to the mastery of our weapons and become skilled in the use of them all in order to overcome evil. Many of us have been far too busy learning the ways and tactics of the world, and far too lacking in diligence in learning how to use God’s superior weapons. As a result, we are not sufficiently prepared in an opportune moment to defend the truth and to deliver a blow against error and falsehood. We need to be thoroughly acquainted with the Scriptures, conversant in their thought and wisdom, “increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:10), giving ourselves to the learning of the truth by meditating upon the Scriptures so that our progress may be evident to all (1 Tim. 4:15), not that we can boast, but that we can stand in the battle for truth and be victorious. Victory in this battle means eternal life, but surrender to the present evil world means eternal destruction from the presence of God and from the glory of His power (2 Thes. 1:6-10). “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Gen. 4:7).
— Via The Oak Grove Messenger (Walnut Hill, Florida), February 23, 2020
——————–
-3-
All Notions
Irvin Himmel
Christ gave commandment to the apostles, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them . . .” (Matt. 28:19).
The teacher in a class of children wanted to impress this lesson on her pupils. She handed each of them a sheet of paper and told them to print the words, “Go, ye, teach all nations.” One little girl printed it this way: “Go, ye, teach all notions.”
It would seem that some religious people have misread the great commission just as that little girl wrote it, “Go, ye, teach all notions.”
All manner of ideas, concepts, doctrines, and beliefs are being taught. Religious people who claim to follow Jesus Christ teach such notions as theistic evolution, reincarnation, premillennialism, salvation by faith only, impossibility of apostasy, infant baptism, papal infallibility, situation ethics, hereditary depravity, unconditional election, direct operation of the Holy Spirit, exorcism, and numerous other concepts foreign to the New Testament.
Everything imaginable is taught rather than the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. Perhaps we need to reread the commission given by our Master to the apostles and note more carefully what it says. Mark’s account is unmistakably plain in saying “preach the gospel to every creature.”
— Via Articles from the Knollwood church of Christ, April 2020
——————–
-4-
Judas Iscariot
Tom Edwards
To play this video sermon on Judas Iscariot, just click the following link while on the Internet:
https://thomastedwards.com/wordpress/Judas.mp4
——————–
-5-
News & Notes
Ginger Ann Montero’s procedure to receive a pacemaker went well.
Rick Cuthbertson’s new cancer specialist at Duke has been impressed with the treatment he has been receiving. His cancer is very slow, having taken 6 years to move to his lungs. And those tumors have not grown any bigger since they were last checked. Some have even decreased in size. So he will continue with the same treatment, plus begin an intravenous treatment that he will receive once every 3 weeks.
The test results for Danielle Bartlett showed that her high blood pressure over the years has caused her heart muscle to stiffen somewhat. This will, therefore, be treated with a change in her blood pressure medicine, and her doctor will continue to monitor her condition.
Ronnie Davis has been having severe back pain.
Also: Nell Teague (cancer), Deborah Medlock (non-malignant nodules near voice box, and nerves in her spine are giving trouble), Jim Lively (recent fall), Ritt Rittenhouse (healing from a stroke and has a degenerative disc in his neck), and Doyle Rittenhouse (neck, shoulder, and arm pain)
Also our shut-ins: A.J. & Pat Joyner, Jim Lively, and Shirley Davis
——————–
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 Jesus Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins. For every accountable person has sinned (Romans 3:23; Romans 3:10), which causes one to be spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). Therefore, repentance of sin is necessary (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30). For whether the sin seems great or small, there will still be the same penalty for either (Matt. 12:36-37; 2 Cor. 5:10) — and even for a lie (Rev. 21:8).
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; 1 Pet. 3:21). This is the final step that puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27). For from that baptism, one is then raised as a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17), having all sins forgiven and beginning a new life as a Christian (Rom. 6:3-4). For the one being baptized does so “through faith in the working of God” (Col. 2:12). In other words, believing that God will keep His word and forgive after one submits to these necessary steps. And now as a Christian, we then need to…
6) Continue in the faith by living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Matt. 24:13; Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
——————–
Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
We are currently meeting for only our Sunday 10 a.m. worship service each week, due to the coronavirus situation.
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https://thomastedwards.com/go/all.htm/ (This is for the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)