2) It\u2019s Always Needed (Shane Williams)
3) The Tongue (Anonymous)
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![\"1john2_28\"](\"https:\/\/thegospelobserver.files.wordpress.com\/2018\/12\/1john2_28-1.jpg?w=676\")
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The Coming of Jesus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Doy Moyer<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not bad that people think about Jesus in December. We wish that people would think about Jesus the whole year around, but we will take what we can get when it comes to opportunities. Regardless of conceptions, misconceptions, information, misinformation, and other ideas, as Jesus\u2019 name is uttered, Christians need to stand up and hold fast the word of life (Phil 2:16).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the terms associated with the December time-frame is \u201cadvent.\u201d It\u2019s not a bad term either. In fact, we sing about it when preparing for the Lord\u2019s Supper: \u201cwith the last advent we unite, until He comes.\u201d \u201cAdvent\u201d comes from the Latin adventus<\/em> and means \u201carrival\u201d (used in the Latin Vulgate). It corresponds to the Greek parousia<\/em>, which, in our English versions is often translated as \u201ccoming.\u201d Other terms (e.g., erchomai<\/em>) may also be translated as \u201ccome.\u201d The idea of the \u201cadvent\u201d or \u201ccoming\u201d of Jesus is biblical, whatever else may be associated with it outside the scriptural context. Because it is a biblical idea, we need not shy away from it. In fact, we need to be teaching the truth about it, particularly while people are thinking about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201ccoming\u201d of Jesus can be spoken of in different ways. For example, there was a \u201ccoming of the Son of Man\u201d upon Jerusalem in judgment (Matt 24:27, 29). When God brought judgment upon a city or a nation, it was a time of visitation or coming from God. Jesus warned the church at Ephesus that if they did not repent, \u201cI will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place\u201d (Rev 2:5). He also promised the church at Pergamum that if they did not repent, He would come to them soon and make war \u201cwith the sword of my mouth\u201d (Rev 2:16). This is not how we want Jesus coming to us in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For our purposes, let\u2019s simplify the concept of the coming of Jesus Christ and think about it in three more primary ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. He Came in the Flesh.<\/strong> The birth of Jesus into this world is a coming of our Lord in order to accomplish salvation. His name would be \u201cJesus,\u201d for He would save the people from their sins, and \u201cImmanuel,\u201d for God is with us (Matt 1:21-23). When Jesus was brought to the temple after His birth, Simeon had been waiting. The Holy Spirit had told him that he would not see death until he had seen \u201cthe Lord\u2019s Christ.\u201d When he took Jesus up in his arms, he praised God \u201cfor my eyes have seen your salvation\u201d (Luke 2:30). Jesus, God manifested in the flesh, has come into the world for salvation (John 1:14). As Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit said, \u201cBlessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David\u201d (Luke 1:68-69). This looked past John to Jesus Himself, for whom John would be the forerunner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. He Abides with us Now.<\/strong> When we enter into that redeemed relationship with God, there is a sense in which He visits or comes to us. We, of course, are to \u201ccome to him\u201d also (1 Pet 2:4-5). James promises, \u201cDraw near to God, and he will draw near to you\u201d (Jas 4:8). The term used here has that sense of coming, approaching, or being at hand. God draws near to us, abides with us and in us, as we trust in Him. This is God\u2019s presence among us. \u201cAbide in Me, and I in you,\u201d Jesus told His disciples (John 15:4). We have God\u2019s promise that He will never leave or forsake us (Heb 13:5). So must we not forsake Him. Jesus came in the flesh; He will come again. In the meantime He is with us, abiding with us and drawing near as we draw near to Him. Let us ever be mindful of the presence of our Lord in our lives. \u201cAnd now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming\u201d (1 John 2:28).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014 via blog.moyerpress.com, December 19, 2018 -2-<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shane Williams<\/p>\n\n\n\n I heard a story of a man in the mid 1950\u2019s entering school to study engineering. A professor told the entering freshmen class to buy the best slide rule they could afford. The reason: \u201cYou will be dependent on it all your \u2018professional\u2019 life.\u201d Well, of course, it wasn\u2019t too long before the slide rule was replaced by the calculator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve seen those same sorts of things in fairly recent years: 8 tracks, cassette tapes (almost), & even VHS tapes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Things that today we consider essential may quickly become obsolete. Tomorrow they may be discarded as antiques that cannot provide the help we need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At least one thing from the past, however, will always be needed and never become obsolete. It is the Bible, God\u2019s Holy Word. No matter how much technological change and progress takes place, the Book will remain the one sure means for getting the right answers to the complicated questions: our origin, our purpose, our needs, and our final destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Psalm 119:105, \u201cYour word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Psalm 18:30, \u201cAs for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Psalm 119:160, \u201cThe entirety of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous judgments endures forever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I Peter 1:23, \u201cFor you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make sure you keep your Bible around and use it! You\u2019ll always need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014 Via articles of the Collegevue church of Christ, December 16, 2018 -3-<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve gossiped about my neighbor,\u201d said the woman to her minister. \u201cOne day I saw her stagger across the yard, so I told a few friends that she had been drunk. Now I find that her staggering was caused by a leg injury. How can I undo this gossip I started?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The minister excused himself for a moment, returned with a pillow, and asked the woman to follow him to a side porch. He took a knife, cut a hole in the pillow, and emptied the feathers over the railing. A small breeze soon scattered tiny feathers all about the yard, among shrubs, flowers, even up in the trees. A few feathers floated across the street heading for unknown destinations. The minister turned to the woman and said, \u201cWill you go out now and gather every one of the feathers?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The woman looked stunned, and said, \u201cWhy, that would be impossible.\u201d \u201cExactly,\u201d replied, the minister sorrowfully, \u201cand so it is with your gossip.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014 Anonymous, via The Elon Challenger<\/em>, November 2018, Volume 16, Number 3 1) Hear<\/strong> the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31). Tebeau Street \u201cGo therefore and make disciples of all the nations\u2026teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age\u201d (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013 Contents: 1) The Coming of Jesus (Doy Moyer)2) It\u2019s Always Needed (Shane Williams)3) The Tongue (Anonymous)\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013 -1- The Coming of Jesus […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=418"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":419,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/418\/revisions\/419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
3. He\u2019s Coming Again.<\/strong> Scripture tells us, \u201cit is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him\u201d (Heb 9:27-28). Jesus is coming again. After the resurrection and at the ascension, angels promised the disciples, \u201cThis Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven\u201d (Acts 1:11). This is the time of the final resurrection in which all will hear His voice and come forth, \u201cthose who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment\u201d (John 5:28-29). This visitation will be for all, good and bad, and for final judgment (2 Cor 5:10). Such a day has been appointed and proof given through the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:30-31).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s Always Needed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2) Believe<\/strong> in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent<\/strong> of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith <\/strong>in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized<\/strong> 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<\/strong>, 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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CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA\u00a0 31501
Sunday<\/strong> services:<\/strong>\u00a09:00 a.m. (Bible class); 10 a.m. & 5 p.m. (worship)
Wednesday:\u00a0<\/strong>7 p.m. (Bible class)
evangelist\/editor:\u00a0<\/strong>Tom Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com<\/a>
http:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/go<\/a> (Older version of Gospel Observer website without pictures, but back to March 1990)
http:\/\/tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org\/<\/a>
http:\/\/ThomasTEdwards.com\/audioser.html<\/a> (audio sermons)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"