“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).
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Contents:
1) Rejected by His Own (John1:11) (Mike Johnson)
2) Facets of Love (Jerry Fite)
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Rejected by His Own (John 1:11)
Mike Johnson
John 1:1-18 is considered the prologue of the book of John. A prologue introduces a literary work, providing background information about the characters, setting, or events. The rest of the book then explains and backs up what is in the prologue. Unlike the other gospel accounts, John proclaims Jesus to be the son of God in the beginning.
Verses 1-2 point out that Christ was present at creation and separate from God; we learn He is divine and created the world. In the course of time, He came to the earth as the “light” (8-9) so people could become children of God and receive salvation (1:12, 29). However, the world generally rejected him (10). More specifically, verse 11 says, “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”
Speaking prophetically, Isaiah spoke about Jesus, saying, “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him” (Is. 53:3). Specifically, the Jews (“His own”) turned their backs on Him, not believing He was the promised Messiah. They got the Romans involved, who put the Lord to death as a common criminal. Due to their previous teaching, the Jews should have been better prepared to receive the message of Jesus than anyone else (Mt. 10:5-6). Even later, when entering a new city, Paul would first go to the synagogue to the Jews.
Consider the opposition more specifically. The Jews looked down on Jesus because He was from Galilee (Jn. 7:41, 52). Concerning the specific town He was from (Nazareth), some asked if anything good could come from there (Jn. 1:46). Jesus performed many miracles witnessed by the two major sects of His day (the Pharisees and Sadducees) who still refused to believe Him (Jn. 12:37-43). They tried to kill or have Him arrested many times (Mt. 12:14; Mt. 26:3-4; Jn. 10:30-31).
The Jews also rejected Jesus because of misconceptions about the nature of the kingdom that He would establish. They thought the Messiah would lead them in overthrowing the Romans. After the miracle of feeding the 5000, certain ones were going to take him by force and make Him king (Jn. 6:15). However, at His trial, Jesus responded to Pilate saying, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” (Jn. 18:36).
Jealousy was also an issue among the many Jewish leaders. Pilate even knew that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him because of “envy” (Mk. 15:10). The feeling of the Jewish leaders that Jesus might cause them to lose their status and power played a role in their rejection of Him.
Jesus was even rejected in His hometown of Nazareth (Lk. 4:16-30). People in the synagogue drove Him out from there and were about to throw Him off a cliff, “when He passed through the midst of them, He went His way” (Lk. 4:30). At first, even Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him (Jn. 7:5).
If Jesus’ “own” did not receive Him, imagine the reaction of those who did not fall into this category. Sadly, the majority of the world does not accept Him today. There are various reasons for this rejection. Consider, however, Jesus’ statement in John 3:19-21.
And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.
Yet, despite Jesus mostly being rejected during His time on the earth, many did receive Him (1:12-13) as He continued His efforts. Further, after His resurrection on Pentecost, Jesus’ apostles preached the gospel for the first time. There were 3000 baptized in one day (Acts 2:41), and the church continued to grow (Acts 2:47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1, 7). This growth resulted from people spreading the message of Jesus locally and throughout the world (Acts 5:42; 8:1-4; Col. 1:23).
How do we handle rejection? What do we do when even “our own” refuse to listen? People we view as the best prospects may turn away from us as we try to teach them, as they did with Jesus. But, we must continue our efforts and even expand our range. Prospects are among those who are morally bankrupt (Acts 24:1-26; Jn. 4; 1 Cor. 6:9-11), rich sinners (Lk. 12:13-21; 19:2-10; 1 Tim. 6:10, 17-19), ignorant and poor (Acts 3:14-19; James 2:1-4), highly prejudice (Gal. 1;13-14; 1 Tim. 1:13), and involved in religious error (Acts 17:22-23). As with Jesus and the early disciples, rejection should not stop us from teaching others!
— Via Seeking Things Above
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Facets of Love
Jerry Fite
A polished cut gem can easily captivate and hold your attention. Minutes can pass quickly when you look at a diamond from one angle and admire it from another. The various angled surface cuts offer the sparkle of reflected light. A diamond’s carat weight value increases in proportion to the more expert cuts improving the gem’s symmetry.
“Love” is a spiritual gem that is multi-faceted. The Greeks had specific words to express love’s particular facets. For example, the Greek word “EROS” conveyed limited to “family love.” “PHILEO” conveyed “the sense of belonging,” denoting an intimate tender relationship. Then, “AGAPE” emphasized the “active good-will” toward others where one is ”seeking the well-being” of another.
While the Greek word “eros” does not occur in the New Testament, God warns and instructs us to discipline our eyes which is often the beginning for stimulating erotic sexual love (Matthew 5:28).
The intimate sense of belonging in “phileo-love” is commanded in the New Testament. Older women are to pass along instruction to younger wives to “love” their husbands and children (Titus 2:4). Women are to do their part in their dual relationships as wives and mothers to create a close bond in their families, nurturing the sense that here, we all belong to one another. While “storge,” the Greek word limited to family love does not occur in the New Testament, the tender feelings of love (phileo) should invigorate our homes and our spiritual family relationships.
As we dwell in God’s word, we cannot help but linger with admiration for the sparkling reflection of “agape-love.” If you do not have this love, you do not know God. Why? “God is love,” that’s why! (I John 4:9-10). Through “love” He initiated our well-being by sending His Son to die for us so we can live spiritually and eternally with Him in heaven. This godly character is manifested when we initiate love for our enemies by praying for their well-being (Matthew 5:44-45). This facet of expressing the character of God in our own lives will be a challenge, but it is one glorious pursuit in the Christian life that separates us from the world and perfects our walk with God (Matthew 5:48).
Glimmering love is the exaltation of “Truth.” Lacking the love for truth will be a primary cause for many perishing in eternity(2 Thessalonians 2:10). If people want to know the truth of God, God’s Word is easily accessible in brick-and-mortar and online bookstores. Church websites, such as ours at Parkview, are constantly providing the truth of God’s word with every upload. Bibles in your own language may be limited in some places, but the major problem today with the Truth of God’s word is not finding it but loving it. This facet of love shines brightly, maybe glaringly so!
Another facet of love is the “atmosphere” it creates for “faith to work.” Christians in the first century were not distinguished by the circumcision of the flesh, but by “faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). As we grow in the faith it must be filtered by “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Weeds can grow, but we should “grow up in all things into Him, who is the head, even Christ.”So, love will come sometimes in the form of rebuke when we are heading the wrong direction. Paul addressed the spiritual needs of the Corinthians with distinct and direct rebuke without being condemned for being “unloving.” After his various rebukes and instruction in his first letter to the Corinthians, he closes by saying, “My love be with you all in Christ Jesus, Amen” (I Corinthians 16:24). How cruel if distinctive rebuke is a sign of the lack of love! Viewed correctly, it is how faith works through love!
— Via Glad Tidings, Vol. XXXII, No. 14, April 3, 2022
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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 Jesus Christ, the Son of God (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).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday: 9 a.m. Bible Classes and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday (all but the first): 7 p.m. Bible Classes
First Wednesday of the month: 7 p.m. Congregational Song Service (about 45 minutes of singing, followed by a short talk)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
https://thomastedwards.com/go/all.htm (This is a link to the older version of the Gospel Observer website, but with bulletins going back to March 4, 1990.)