“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) Responding to Our Enemies (R.J. Evans)
2) Better Things (Bryan Gibson)
3) Psalm 119:65-72 (Berean Study Bible)
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Responding to Our Enemies
R.J. Evans
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake” (Matt. 5:11).
How do we handle a person who reviles us, persecutes us, and says things about us which are not true? The natural response is to retaliate and get even. But how are we to respond to our enemies and be pleasing unto God? Let us go to His Word for the answers.
1. Rejoice if we are being mistreated because we are faithfully serving the Lord. If we are suffering because of our evil deeds, then we should be ashamed. However, the Apostle Peter tells us— “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Pet. 3:15-16). Notice the next verse following our text: “Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:12). Although some may seek to make our lives miserable here on earth, our reward in heaven will be great if we remain faithful while we are hurting for His sake.
2. Love them, do good to them, and pray for them. This is what Jesus was teaching in Matthew 5:44: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Normally, we will have to do a lot of praying for ourselves, asking for strength, before we will be able to do this for our enemies. But we will reap many benefits if we can sincerely do what Jesus commands in this passage. Again, let us observe the inspired words of the Apostle Peter, as it relates to this kind of situation. “…not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Pet. 3:9). Remember—this is the example Jesus left for us and we are to follow in His steps. “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth,’ who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously” (1 Pet. 2:21-23).
3. Turn it over to God. When men crucified our Lord, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Lk. 23:34). In one short prayer, we find Jesus loving His enemies, blessing His enemies, and praying for His enemies. The Apostle Paul tells us to turn it over to God when he said: “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:19-21). This is basically what Christ was teaching in His “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 5:38-48.
In a sense, we are being good to ourselves when we are good to our enemies. May the Lord help and be with us when we are meeting the challenge of correctly responding to our enemies.
— Via The Auburn Beacon
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Better Things
Bryan Gibson
We like to compare things—this team is better than that team; this restaurant is better than that one, etc. In some cases, we’re just expressing an opinion or a personal taste; we really don’t have enough information to be certain. But if God says one thing is better than another, there’s no room for argument. God does make statements like these, primarily in the books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. These are extremely profitable to us, because they help us set our priorities; they help us to see what is truly important. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Many things are better than riches—the law of God (Psalms 119:72); knowledge, wisdom, and understanding (Proverbs 3:13-14; 8:10-11, 19; 16:16); a good name (Proverbs 22:1; Ecclesiastes 7:1); and virtues such as righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness (1 Timothy 6:10-11). Moses certainly understood this, because he chose the riches of God over the riches of Egypt (Hebrews 11:24-26).
The poor man, who has the above things, is better off than the rich man who does not (Psalms 37:16; Proverbs 15:16-17; 16:8, 19; 17:1; 28:6; Eccl. 4:6). Don’t envy the rich man too much, especially if he’s had to sacrifice these better things to acquire lesser things.
What you have now (materially speaking) is better than what you hope to have one day (Ecclesiastes 6:9). Sometimes we can’t enjoy what we have now for thinking about what we would like to have. Why keep postponing happiness?
It is better to trust in God than to trust in man (Psalms 118:8-9; 146:3-7). Lots of
folks discover this the hard way, after they’ve been led astray. Sadly, others won’t learn this lesson until it’s too late.
It is better not to make a promise, than to make a promise and not keep it (Ecclesiastes 5:2-5). Too many broken promises and there goes our good name. God is clear: don’t make promises you can’t keep.
A love that rebukes is better than a love that ignores faults (Proverbs 27:5; Ecclesiastes 7:5). Friends who love us enough to correct us—that’s what we need. Jesus said, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (Revelation 3:19).
Ruling your spirit is better than ruling a city (Proverbs 16:32). We tend to glorify the physically strong; God does just the opposite. It takes more strength to conquer oneself than to conquer others (it actually takes HIS strength to conquer self).
It is better to go to the house of mourning (a funeral) than the house of feasting (a party), for it is in the house of mourning that we learn the most valuable lessons (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4). It’s hard to go there and not think about the brevity and uncertainty of life.
The end of a thing is better than its beginning—so be patient (Ecclesiastes 7:8). This certainly applies to childrearing. Sometimes we give up too too soon, when we don’t see any immediate effects of our teaching and discipline. Hebrews 12:11 should help us here: “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” And of course it also applies to prayer—sometimes we have to “wait on the Lord” (Isaiah 40:27-31).
Two are better than one, so value your friends, your marriage companion, your family, your fellow-Christians (Ecclesiastes 4:7-12; Song of Solomon 8:7; Proverbs 17:17; 27:9; 31:10-12). Imagine life without the love and support of others. Not a pretty picture, is it?
— Via the Weekly Bulletin of the Prattville church of Christ, November 26, 2023
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Psalm 119:65-72
Teth
65You are good to Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.
66Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments.
67Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I keep Your word.
68You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes.
69Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart.
70Their hearts are hard and callous, but I delight in Your law.
71It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.
72The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
— Berean Study Bible
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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 (except for last of the month Song Service)
and 10 a.m. Worship Service
Wednesday: 7 p.m. Bible Classes
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.)