What does it mean to folow Christ?

 

 "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Mt. 16:24

 

As I'm sure everyone knows, especially from restaurant ads, flower ads, clothing ads and "egg roll" news items, today is Easter Sunday, considered by many of the religious world to be the holiest Sunday of the year. Biblically speaking, it's no more holy nor more important than any other first day of the week in the year.

 

But, my thoughts today are not specifically about "Easter" but rather a combination of events and people relative to this day. Of course the event is the crucifixion of Jesus, but to be a little more specific - His "cross." And there is where we'll find the "people" in their relation to the "cross." If I can adequately get my thoughts down on paper I think that we'll realize a spiritual lesson from them.

 

To start off our lesson, let me talk first about the "cross" of Christ. You've no doubt heard on the news this past week (probably several times) about people traveling to Jerusalem in order to walk the "Via Dolorosa," or as it's translated, the "Way of Grief" or "Way of Suffering."

 

It's the traditional path taken by Christ from the "common hall" (Mt. 27:27) to Golgotha where His crucifixion took place. (Please take note of my use of the word "traditional" as archeologists are unsure and of mixed opinions as to exactly where this place was actually located.) I should also note to you that the current "Via Dolorosa" is just the latest version as there have been others in the past.

 

But scripturally speaking, it was on this path that one of our "people" come into play, so to speak. It was there that the procession of Christ and the accompanying soldiers came upon a man identified as "Simon of Cyrene" and the soldiers "compelled" (Luke says "laid hold") him to "bear" the "cross of Jesus." I see a couple of interesting things about this incident. (Mt. 27 & Lk. 23)

 

First, "compelled" indicates that Simon wasn't a volunteer in this endeavor. He did not choose to carry the "cross." Which takes us to the second thing: we'd have to agree that it was an unexpected event, wouldn't we? I guess that what I think that we can deduce here is: he didn't volunteer for this duty which makes me think that he probably would not have, but he had no choice in the matter. It came to him. He was "compelled" to "bear the cross."

 

My point in looking at Simon is this: we, as "followers of Christ" are not "compelled" to "bear the cross," we do so voluntarily. We're not Simons, but, in order to receive certain things associated with the "cross" we do have to "bear" it. This brings us to our next and last "person of interest" relative to our lesson today.

 

That "person" is the Apostle Paul and some things he said about Christ's "cross" and his own "cross." I quoted Mt. 16:24 for our opening scripture reading where Jesus says, in essence: if you're going to be a follower of Me, you're going to have to bear a cross. In Lk. 9:23 we find that our "cross" is not a "one-time" thing, not a "part-time" thing, but a "daily" thing.

 

What I see the lesson being here is, that Christians are required by the Gospel to be a "peculiar" person (Titus 2:14). In the Greek that word means that we're to be "special people," or "people beyond the usual." As such, we have to deny ourselves many things commonly practiced by others because we're instructed to do so by God's Word. Here again, we're free-moral-agents and as such, we voluntarily follow Jesus. We're "peculiar" by choice.

 

Perhaps our "cross" might even be some sort of real trial that comes upon us such as a dreaded disease or a calamity of some kind. Like Simon, our "cross," in whatever form it comes on us as, we have to "bear" it and do so in a way that brings glory to the name Christian. And one other thing you can count on is that everyone has a "cross" and Gal. 6:5 tells us that "everyone will bear their own burden." You can't delegate someone to carry yours and I can't pay someone to carry mine.

 

The reason I would like to use Paul as our 2nd person is something I read that he said about himself in 2Tim. 2:8-10. Please turn there and read the words he left us while I paraphrase what I get from them. He says: always remember that I'm preaching the risen Savior, Jesus Christ, a descendent of King David, all the while suffering as if I were a common criminal. (Recall what all had been done physically to Paul.) They can lock me up, but they can't lock up the Word of God. So I'm willing to suffer if it will bring Christ's salvation to people. If it will bring glory to Him.

 

Yes, we can know from the scriptures many of the "crosses" in the form of physical sufferings that Paul endured. We also know that he had a constant "cross" in the form of a physical ailment. We're not told what that ailment consisted of, however he referred to it as "the messenger of Satan" and a "thorn in the flesh" but the point is - he had to "bear" it. "Daily!"

 

In closing, let's see what we obtain by the "bearing" of our "crosses" and in so doing, remaining faithful followers of Jesus. I can see three things right off. Number one is - "salvation." In Rom. 5:8-9 we see: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him."

 

The 2nd benefit of "cross-bearing" is - "the power of God." Notice these words in 1Cor. 1:18 "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." What does that mean? That by us faithfully bearing our "cross" the way Christ faithfully bore His we will inherit God's power over eternal death.

 

And the 3rd and last thing of our lesson today is something that we all need so much in our lives today - "peace." Look at Col. 1:20 with me: "And through him (Christ) to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross."

 

What is that telling us? That no matter what type of "cross" comes our way in this earthly life, as long as we "bear" it and remain faithful we will enjoy the "peace of God which surpasses all understanding" and it will "guard our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ." (Phil. 4:7)

 

May this Lord's Day find you in a "saved" condition, with the knowledge that the "power of God" will keep you from eternal death, and knowing that, you will have "peace" in your life.

 

Ron Covey

Professor who told student to stamp on picture of Jesus

This past week one of the news stories which stood out to me was the teacher
who had students write the name of Jesus on a piece of paper, then told them
to put it on the floor and stomp on it. Our world has lost the understanding
of who Jesus is and what his purpose is. He is the Savior of all mankind.

What or who do you trust to save you? I for one have never understood the
mentality of the folks who want to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel or some
other way. It just makes no sense to me to put your life at risk for no good
reason.

After reading about a number of those people who have gone over Niagara
Falls I noticed one thing they all had in common. None of them expected to
die! All of them had some idea of protecting themselves from the dangers of
going over that powerful water fall.

One of these dare devils was Robert Overacted, a 39 year old man challenged
the mighty Horseshoe Falls on October 1st 1995. He planed this stunt for
months, he checked and rechecked all of he figures and plans. He planned on
riding on a single jet ski until he reached the brink of the Falls. There he
would deploy a rocket propelled parachute, which would help him land in the
River below the Falls to allow for a rescue.

Overacker launched himself into the Niagara River upstream of the falls. At
the brink of the falls, Overacker ignited the rocket which deployed the
parachute as planned. Unfortunately, as the parachute deployed it did him no
good at all, because Overacker, he had forgotten to attach the parachute to
his body.

To me that was a perfect, howbeit sad, example of what will happen if we
trust in men or man made things to save us rather than Jesus. One of the
most powerful testimonies about Jesus is found in Matthew 1:21 where the
angel says of the coming birth of the Savior, "And she will have a son, and
you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

Many today live dangerous lives, going through life with nothing to protect
them or save them from what really counts. Until they (and we) join
ourselves to Jesus, we are just as near death as Robert Overacker. You may
think you have it all together and are safe, but are you really?

This week our world celebrates Easter, which traditionally is a remembrance
of the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus. It's not about Easter
Bunnies or colored eggs, it's about remembering the one who can save us from
our sins.

Russ Lawson

Doctor Orrison Swett Marden (1850-1924)

Dr. Orrison Swett Marden (1850-1924) lost his mother when he was only three years old. For the next few years, he spent much of his childhood hunting, fishing, and trapping in the coastal state of New Hampshire with his father. Sadly, Marden's father died when Marden was only seven.

Marden and his two sisters where shuffled around from one guardian to another throughout the rest of their childhood. Marden often had to work to "earn his keep."

But he persevered. He even worked his way through college. Although he suffered many setbacks and personal tragedies in his life, he never gave up.

Later in life, Dr. Marden, reflecting on personal initiative, wrote a piece about "human lobsters":

"A lobster when left high and dry among the rocks, has not instinct and energy enough to work his way back to the sea, but waits for the sea to come to him. If it does not come, he remains where he is and dies, although the slightest effort would enable him to reach the waves, which are perhaps within a yard of him.

The world is full of human lobsters: men stranded on the rocks of indecision and procrastination, who, instead of putting forth their own energies are waiting for some grand billow of good fortune to set them afloat." *

In a sense, you and I have been "left high and dry among the rocks" - not because of our circumstances, but because of our SIN. If we remain "where we are," we'll die; "for the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).

Some are like stranded lobsters waiting for God to "move" and come to their rescue.

The truth is: He has already "moved" (acted)!

God loves us so much that He gave His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16). Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2), but God "bridged the gap" by giving His Son to pay the price for our redemption through His death on the cross (Ephesians 1:7). God has already made our salvation possible through Christ (Acts 4:12); the "work" of reconciliation has been completed (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)! Now it is up to us to accept His offer of salvation on His terms.

God has promised to save those who will place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will continue to cleanse those who continue to follow Him faithfully (1 John 1:7).

Don't remain stranded on the rocks of indecision and procrastination! Accept His offer of salvation and eternal life by trusting and obeying Jesus today!

"And now why are YOU waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." - Acts 22:16

Won't YOU accept His offer?

David Sargent

COYOTE is an acronym which stands for Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics

What Has Happened To Good Old Fashioned Morality? by Tom Wacaster There is no doubt that when Jesus walked upon this earth that it was a time of immorality and ungodliness. Matthew provides us with our Lord's very own words regarding the sinfulness of those who lived at that time: "But he answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the heaven is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for the heaven is red and lowering. Ye know how to discern the face of the heaven; but ye cannot discern the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of Jonah. And he left them, and departed" (Matthew 16:2-4). Of particular interest are the words, "evil and adulterous generation." Even the most superficial study of the history of the Roman Empire, and particularly the Empire during the time of Christ, will affirm the words of our Lord. But as Solomon observed, "there is nothing new under the sun," and w ith but a few exceptions in the history of mankind those two adjectives used by our Lord are a fitting description of the human race throughout history. Since about the mid 1960's our nation has been undergoing a cultural revolution that now threatens the very existence of our nation. All one need do is take a newspaper or listen to the evening news to get an idea of how wide spread are sexual perversion, political corruption, and unethical practices in business world. The sexual revolution of the 60's (as it was wont to be called by those of that generation) cracked open the door. It has been a downhill slide since then, and the "Hippies" who cast off their clothes, rejected marriage, smoked their pot, and rebelled against the "establishment, are now ruling in Washington and sitting on the judicial benches from one end of this country to the next. Why should it surprise us that, despite the assurance from religious and political leaders alike, things have gotten worse? In 1974 Paul Harvey wrote an article which was published in a number of newspapers and magazines across our country. His article, "They' Misled Us," pinpoints many of America's moral and spiritual problems. 'They' told us that, if we'd relax about sex, take our clothes off and not get all uptight about it, there would be no more sex crimes. So we let it all hang out--and the incidence of rape has increased 10 percent every year. Maybe we'd better question some of the other advice 'they' gave us. 'They' told us we'd been too tough on criminals, that we should go easy on them. So we went easy on them--and the rate of violent crimes has increased 47 percent since 1968; increased six percent last year; is increasing 15 percent this year .' 'They' said the churches were 'old-fashioned,' that they must modernize, liberalize, rationalize, and compromise. And those that compromised most are shrinking fastest . Who are these 'they' who've been misleading us? 'They' are the materialists who deify the finite sciences. 'They' meant well, but their good intentions are paving the road to hell! Now I've quit commentating and gone to preaching. I don't mean to, but I cannot separate goodness and badness from today's news and explain it. Every ugly headline in today's newspaper - and yesterday's and tomorrow's - is somebody's emotions gone out of whack. He might be as smart as all get-out, but if he's emotionally colorblind, he is an unguided missile destined to self-destruct." Paul Harvey was in a class all his own and his wisdom that was based on good-old fashioned Biblical principles is in sore need today. The voice of Paul Harvey has been silenced by death, but the voice of righteousness and uprightness is being silenced through indifference of the masses, and laws cranked out by Congress. Even as I write this article [Tuesday, January 26, 2013] the Supreme Court is hearing arguments on whether or not "marriage" can be restricted to a man and a woman. Had you told me at the time Johnnie Ann and I got married that within my lifetime our society would have difficulty deciding what marriage is I would not have believed you. When preachers of God's word seek to warn about the evils of fornication, drinking, or any other "work of the flesh," they are immediately vilified for being too "negative." No wonder our society is so confused as to what is right and wrong! Winford Claiborne shared the following with his readers regarding the moral vacu um that exists in our society: Television--especially television talk shows--movies and other media have contributed--whether intentionally or otherwise--to the confusion over moral values. Homosexuality, bisexuality, premarital sex, and even incest are glorified in many media outlets. Phil Donahue invited six women to serve on a panel for his show. At least three of them were either engaging in prostitution at the time they were on the show or they had done so in the past. Three of the women on the panel had formed an organization to protect prostitutes or to legalize prostitution or both. One sixty-year-old prostitute was from Switzerland; one was from Italy; one was Margo St. James who had established an organization called COYOTE. The word COYOTE is an acronym which stands for Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics. What message did Phil Donahue convey to the young people of America? It said, "Girls, if you are having difficulty getting an honorable job, you can always turn to prostitution. After all, sex sell s. Prostitution is the ‘oldest profession' and an honorable way to make a living. Besides, prostitution pays well, sometimes several hundred dollars per night." Phil Donahue's message to boys was: "If you are having sexual difficulties at home or if you like sexual variety, you can always turn to a prostitute." Not only is such a message morally wrong; it is physically dangerous. In some places, as many as fifty percent of prostitutes are HIV positive. Does Phil Donahue or Sally Jessy Raphael or Jenny Jones care? (Winford Claiborne, FHU Lectures 1994). There are a lot of factors that have contributed to the present moral vacuum that exists in our world. Among these would be humanism, with its atheistic, "no-God" mentality, evolution that has taught for more than a century now that man is nothing more than a glorified monkey, modernism that has sought to somehow provide man a "utopia" with unlimited pleasure to the sensual man, and false religious doctrine that has robed God of His rightful place in our lives and substituted it with the doctrines of men that make void the word of God. Jesus warned us of false teachers in Matthew 7:15-17. Among other things, He told us that we can tell a tree by its fruit. The fruit that I am seeing with regard to morals, speaks volumes about exactly what or who presently controls our media, our institutions of higher learning, our school systems, and our entertainment industry. It has not been that long ago that our nation was at peace within, and stood strong against the enemies without. Religion was respected, and even promoted by the media, our public schools, and even our law makers in Washington. Almost without exception our public schools would begin the day with a Scripture reading and prayer. Those were simple days; but they were happy days. If men are incapable of discerning the difference in our society today and that of a mere fifty years ago, what makes us think they can lead us in the right direction with all of their legislative policies that no longer place importance on what God's word says? Several years the Statler Brothers produced a song entitled, "What Ever Happened To Randolph Scott." The chorus had these words: "Whatever happened to Johnny Mack Brown, and Alan Rocky Lane? Whatever happened to Lash LaRue? I'd love to see them again. Whatever happened to Smiley Burnett, Tim Holt, and Gene Autry? Whatever happened to all of these has happened to the best of me. Whatever happened to Randolph Scott has happened to the industry." Along that same line, may I suggest that "Whatever happened to Randolph Scott" has happened to good old fashioned morality! Truly it breaks the heart.

How truly live as a Christian

Lesson: Developing the Mind of Christ in a Consumer Culture (Part 1 of 2)

Text: Luke 12:13-25 

Aim: to consider how to develop the mind of Christ in a consumer society.

 

ICEBREAKER QUESTION: As we go around the circle and tell our name, I'd also like to know: what is the BIGGEST or NICEST shopping mall you have ever visited? I'll begin: my name is __________, and the biggest/nicest mall I have ever visited is _________________. 

 

The shopping mall has become one of the most prominent symbols of American culture. In fact, it is one of the first things many foreigners want to see when they visit our country. So, just for fun, let's play "Who Wants To Be A Mall-ionaire?"

 

1. How many times does the average American go to the mall during a month? a. Once a month b. 3 times a month c. 5 times d. 10 times [Answer: b. 3 times a month]

 

2. What would you guess is the average amount of time spent by the typical shopper in a mall? Is it: a. 32 minutes b. 52 minutes c. 82 minutes d. 3 hours [Answer: c. 82 minutes]

 

3. Each time the average American goes to the mall, how much does he or she spend? Is it: a. $29 b. $49 c. $69 d. $89 [Answer: c. $69]

 

4. Who visits malls more often: MEN or WOMEN? Answer: Men.

 

5. Who stays in the mall longer: MEN or WOMEN? Answer: Women.

 

6. In 1975 the average American supermarket carried 9,000 different items. By 2010, how many different items did the typical supermarket carry? a. 12,000 different items b. 15,000 different items c. 22,000 d. 38,000 [Answer: d. 38,000 different items] 

 

DISCUSSION QUESTION: Why do you suppose American supermarkets carry more than four times as many items now as compared to back in 1975?

 

7. Fast Company, a business magazine, asked its readers, "If you could have one more hour per day at home OR a $10,000 per year raise, which would you choose?" Which option would you guess the majority of respondents selected – more TIME, or more MONEY? [Answer: MONEY (83%)]

 

8. The average American consumes 5 times more "stuff" than the average Mexican. How much more do Americans consume in relation to Chinese? a. 3 times more b. 5 times more c. 10 times more d. 20 times more [Answer: c. The average American consumes 10 times more than a Chinese person – and 30 times more than a person in India!] 

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Are you surprised to learn that Americans consume so much more than people in other cultures? Why or why not? 2. What would you guess people in other cultures think when they see how much Americans consume?

 

9. How many Americans have reported they are making an effort to consume less and achieve a simpler lifestyle? a. 1 out of every 2 Americans b. 1 out of every 5 c. 1 out of 10 d. 1 out of 30 [Answer: b. One out of every 5 Americans has reported trying to achieve a simpler lifestyle, and 85% of them report being happier as a result.]

 

DISCUSSION QUESTION: Why do you suppose that 85% of those Americans who reported they are trying to achieve a simpler lifestyle also reported being HAPPIER? How could cutting back, and consuming less, make people happier? 

 

DISCUSSION QUESTION: Some people may be trying to scale back, but if television is any guide, most Americans are still fascinated with material items! In fact, how many television programs can you identify that focus on "stuff"? 

 

Possible Answers: The Price is Right; Pawn Stars; Hard Core Pawn; Cajun Pawn Stars; American Pickers; Antiques Roadshow; Storage Wars; Hoarders; Auction Hunters; Auction Kings; etc.

 

 

We all realize we are living in one of the wealthiest societies in human history, and we can be thankful for the abundance that we have. The Bible warns us, however, that wealth has the potential to weaken our faith, so in this lesson we want to consider how to develop a Christian worldview in a consumer culture. Jesus had quite a lot to say about our attitude towards possessions. 

 

TURN to the gospel of Luke (the third book of the New Testament), Chapter 12. READ Verses 13-15 

 

DISCUSSION QUESTION: We know that GREED is an unhealthy attitude towards possessions, but: What exactly IS "greed"? What would be your definition of a greedy person? 

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. We can tell, of course, that this man had a disagreement with his brother about their inheritance, but since the man didn't explain any of the facts in this case, how do you suppose Jesus knew that this individual had a problem with greed? 2. Many a family has broken apart because of squabbles over inheritances, but why is that so? In your opinion, why do you believe families can become so divided over who will inherit what stuff? 

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Jesus warns us not to believe that we can find fulfillment in an "ABUNDANCE of possessions." Do you feel that the only problem is a person's ATTITUDE toward possessions, or is the Lord indicating it could also be the AMOUNT of possessions that they have? Is it possible to just have too much stuff? 2. Do you think American culture in the 21st century is any worse about believing that getting more "stuff" will make you happy, or do you think materialism was just as bad in the first century as it is today? Why, or why not? 

 

[OPTIONAL – IF TIME PERMITS] DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. All of us have made a purchase at the mall, only to later get home and wish we hadn't bought it. In fact, retailers count on "impulse buying" and use sophisticated psychological techniques to persuade shoppers to purchase things they hadn't intended to buy. What are some of the EMOTIONS that are associated with buying things? Why can it FEEL SO GOOD to purchase something new? 

 

2. If someone had a gambling addiction, he or she would need to avoid casinos, and if people are tempted to overeat, they should stay away from buffets. Suppose, however, that someone was struggling with GREED. What might they need to avoid?

 

SUMMARY STATEMENT: Americans live in a CONSUMER CULTURE that tells them the key to happiness is having more THINGS. As Christians we can avoid that trap by listening to Jesus when he tells us that life is more than all the "stuff" we can pile up, and that true happiness comes from God. 

 

 © Dan Williams El Dorado, Arkansas  

 

Why does evil exist?

God and the world are diametrically opposed to each other. But how can something that God created represent opposition to his nature and will?

Evil exists, but it did not always exist. It came into existence because God made it possible for men and angels to choose to serve him or reject him. Both angels and men rejected him.

Their rebellion in this universe is behind the "world," a word used in many passages of scripture to denote "that which is hostile to God, i.e. lost in sin, wholly at odds [with] anything divine, ruined and depraved" (BGAD). In this sense, "the whole world lies in the power of the evil one" (1 John 5.11).

The world stands under God's judgment. The Lord judges and disciplines his people "so that we may not be condemned with the world" (1 Corinthians 11.32). Through faith, Noah "condemned the world" (Hebrews 11.7). Christ pulls us out of this condemnation. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8.1).

So God's people no longer belong to the world. They are in it still and have been sent into it as agents of salvation, but they are not of it (see John 17). As Paul would say, they are dead to it. Peter calls it an escape from "the filthy things of the world through the rich knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 2.20).

God's people and the world have nothing in common. "They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world's perspective and the world listens to them. We are from God; the person who knows God listens to us, but whoever is not from God does not listen to us" (1 John 4.5-6a). In fact, "the world hates" the ones God has gathered to himself (1 John 3.13).

Because of this inherent antagonism between God and the world, God's people cannot be, in the truest sense of the term, friends with the world. James defines the attempt to be friends with the world and God at the same time as spiritual adultery, or betrayal. "Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world's friend makes himself God's enemy" (James 4.4).

Jesus summed up the antithesis as "God and Mammon" (Matthew 6.24; Luke 16.13). Money is the physical manifestation of the devil's power to persuade the world that security can be bought. Man can take care of himself. By working harder, smarter, longer hours, the world believes it is able to guarantee its future, hedge its bets against adversity, and take charge of its own life. The saint knows it's all a lie. By faith he depends upon the preserving power of God and overcomes the world (1 John 5.4).

The world tends to accept and justify sin when it takes up residence nearby. Parents for example, tend to accept adultery or homosexuality when their children practice it. God's people, however, know that all sin distances man from God. When it appears close to them, they find it all the more repugnant, because of the harm it does to themselves and to their loved ones. Part of their goal for a pure and undefiled religion is "to keep oneself unstained by the world" (James 1.27). Only in this way can they "shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2.15).

Nor can God's people have fellowship with those whose religion has been penetrated by the world. The world erects its idols, worships the product of its own mind, performs works which it has defined as good and worthy. The world believes all religions are the same. Religion is something good to have, but no one should be radical about religion, because it's one element of the good life, a sop to whatever Exalted Being or Superior Power may be out there.

Those who have embraced the Cross will not find it hard to abandon this world of sin or to leave it upon death or Christ's return. They are glad to have been saved from it; their praise is not for their own accomplishments but for God's rescue from a perishing world. "But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6.14).

--http://forthright.net/2013/03/25/god-world/

J. Randal Matheny 

Operation Iraqi Freedom

 Last Tuesday, March 19, 2013 marked the 10th anniversary of the beginning of what came to be know as "Operation Iraqi Freedom," or as more commonly referred to as the "war in Iraq." Many of our soldiers served honorably in that effort and many of them perished while doing so. They rightly deserve to be remembered and honored for their service to our country. I'd like to direct your thoughts this morning to another "operation." It also had a name and I'm sure that many of you "older folks" will recall it, perhaps even in a personal way. I'm referring to what was entitled "Operation Homecoming" that mostly took place during the month of March, 1973. I'd like to build our editorial lesson around that very moving event that occurred 40 years ago and I appreciate your consideration of these thoughts.

 

In March of '73 I was working the "graveyard" shift in what's now called the CSI detail of the San Bernardino Police Dept. There was a small break room near my desk and it contained a small black & white TV set. I can vividly recall watching the C-141 airplanes from our own Norton AFB flying into Hanoi, North Vietnam and returning with the POWs that had been housed in the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" prison, many for 7-8 years. Almost 600 of them.

 

I recall how emotionally moved I was when I watched them land, first in the Philippines, and then in the United States. To see the ambulatory feebly walk off the plane and salute those there to meet them and then to watch many of them having to be carried off on stretchers. As I now think about it, there must have been some sort of allergy going around about that time because my eyes kept watering.

 

The other day I was reading the personal account of one of those prisoners who was an Army doctor captured in 1967 and survived to take part in "Operation Homecoming." One of the things he mentioned struck me as a great lead-in to a spiritual lesson and I'm going to use that statement just for that purpose here.

 

Early on in his captivity he was being interrogated by a North Vietnamese officer who produced a tape recorder and asked him if he would make a statement against the war. The doctor replied that he would "rather die" than to speak against his country. It's his captor's reply to that statement that becomes my thought basis for this lesson. His captor said, "You will find dying is very easy. Living, living is the difficult thing." The doctor found those words to be oh so true for the next six years.

 

How I'm going to relate the doctor's experience to our lesson is to look for a few moments at the Apostle Paul who was also a prisoner several times and died as such. I think that, in a way, Paul and our doctor had some things in common.

 

The doctor said that, on many occasions, he was ready to die and be relieved from his suffering, but he felt a duty to his fellow prisoners. To be there for them and help them as best he could. I think that we can see Paul sort of in that same predicament.

 

In Philippians 1, verses 20-24, we see Paul facing a real dilemma, don't we? I'm just going to paraphrase his words here and here's what I understand him to be saying. It's like he's questioning his own thinking. As if he's mulling it over in his mind - "to live or die." Which would be best?

 

It seems that, in his reasoning, he came to this conclusion: that if "alive" he could do more for the cause of Christ. If he "died" he says that would be "far better" for him. He judged dying to be "gain." But, then he concludes that being "alive" was better, more helpful for others and for Christ. He placed his duty to Christ and others above what he felt would be better for himself.

 

Did he suffer for this decision? I invite you to read 2Cor. 11:23-28 and when you do I think you'll easily see why he was ready to die. Why he saw his death and thereby "to be with Christ" as being "gain." (Phil. 1:21 & 23)

 

I doubt seriously that any of us have suffered, or will suffer, in either the amount or methods that Paul and our prisoner of war did. But, we all suffer in some ways, don't we? I have no problem understanding the reasoning of either the doctor or Paul. I've known faithful Christians who have suffered greatly from some dread disease who prayed for the Lord to "take them." They definitely saw their death as being a "gain."

 

And that's not hard to understand either when you look at what lies ahead eternally for the faithful. They're going to a place where there are no problems of any kind. No evil people to bother them. No sickness or disease to have to deal with because the "Tree of Life" is there for the "healing of the nations." They will live forever in a place more beautiful than the words of man can describe. Plus, it will be forever day there. As the old hymn says "No night there." (Rev. 21 & 22)

 

In our closing thought today, let me just scripturally draw you a picture that so graphically shows us the two faces of eternity. In Rev. 9:1-6 we're given a look into the "bottomless pit" and the "torment" within that location. We also see there that we're looking at what's happening to those who do not have "the seal of God on their foreheads."

 

But, I want you to especially take note of what is said about these tormented ones in verse 6: "In those days (at that time) people will seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them." (NLT)

 

Now let's look at the other side of this picture of eternity, all the while remembering what befalls us here as we live our earthly lives and as we stay faithful through it all. Turn your Bibles to Rev. 14:12-13 and read these words with me: "This means that God's holy people must endure persecution patiently, obeying His commands and maintaining their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them." (NLT)

 

What's our key thought as we close? Remain faithful to our duties as Christians, through whatever the world throws at us and, as our examples today, the POW and the Apostle Paul, we too will be delivered. There will one day be our own personal "Operation Homecoming." Only it will be to our heavenly home.

 

Ron Covey

 

 

Kentucky Wildcats basketball

 Yes, I know, I'm one to talk about craziness surrounding college basketball. Being a lifelong fan of Kentucky Wildcats basketball, I've lost more sleep over hoops than I'd like to admit. But there's one thing I'm happy to say I've never lost when it comes to the NCAA tournament: money. Millions of others, however, can't make that claim.

 

According to a March 18, 2013 Associated Press article by Jim Litke, more than 100 million people worldwide will bet $12 billion on the NCAA Basketball Championship which begins today in various locations. Tens of thousands of brackets have been filled out, meaning people everywhere are trying to predict who will eventually win the title of national champion. I've filled out a few of those in my lifetime. But I've never bet money that my guesses are right.

 

I consider this thing called "sports gambling" madness for a number of reasons. One reason is discussed in an article today on Forbes.com, in which Marc Edelman notes at least three federal statutes that are broken by seemingly innocent office pools. No one seems to mind; we never read of anyone being arrested for putting money into their office betting pool for the NCAA tournament. But the principle still looms: those participating are breaking the law. Doesn't that matter?

 

There's another reason why sports gambling is a bad bet: Most people (the vast majority) might as well open their windows and cast their currency to the wind. (Perhaps some of the money might actually blow back in.) When you gamble, you're almost certain to never see that money again. Ever. (Why do you suppose casinos typically have the largest, flashiest buildings on the planet? Where does that money come from?)

 

My biggest reason for abstaining from gambling of any kind is based on what God teaches me in his word. The idea we noted in the paragraph above is an example: How can I be a good steward of my resources if I recklessly toss them away? The wisdom of Proverbs 3:9 points me in another direction: "Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase." My ability to do good for others (see Ephesians 4:28) diminishes as I channel my funds to Las Vegas.

 

Consider also what Jesus counseled in Luke 6:31: "And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise." When I wager money on the outcome of a ball game (or for any other reason), I cannot hope to win and hope that others win, too. My hopes for financial gain rest upon the prospect of other people losing their money. I may not think in those terms, but that's why there is a chance I might win big - if others lose big. How can I harmonize the Golden Rule with betting?

 

Too many people look to a lucky bracket (or a lottery ticket) for their hope of a secure future. Again, God's wisdom seeks to wake us up from such delusions. Consider: "Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven" (Proverbs 23:5). How much better to make treasures in heaven our aim (Matthew 6:19-21)!

 

Let me share with you a guaranteed way to live an abundant life: "Now godliness with contentment is great gain.. ... And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content" (1 Timothy 6:6,8). As Jesus once noted, "Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" (Matthew 6:25).

 

Timothy D. Hall.

How to find hope

Matthew 9:29 "Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you".

 

 One of the most quoted verses of the Bible as it concerns faith is Heb. 11:6, "Without faith it is impossible to please God…." There is absolutely no doubting the indispensable need for faith in God. Faith in God is the power that motivates our entire being. It is a powerful faith in God that can and will sustain us when the adverse conditions of life strike our human frame. It is a great faith in God that enables us to give him the glory and honor when we are prospering be it spiritual or physical prosperity. We live the Christian life by faith not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). Our faith is our means of overcoming the world (Eph. 6:16). I love to sing, "Faith is the victory we know that overcomes the world". The more trust I have in God, the greater will be my ability to live this live in a victorious way and be able to one day receive that crown of life (2 Tim 4:8).

 

 As a young man of 18, I enlisted in the United States Navy. Friends, that is ironic because I could not swim a lick. The recruiter told me that I would be taught to swim. Along with several others, for a couple of weeks, I would go to the pool and we got to stay in the shallow end. One day the instructors asked what we were doing in the shallow end and told us to line up at the deep end. He then spoke some terrible word s, "Jump In". I still could not swim so believe me when I say, it took every ounce of courage I could muster up to make that leap, trusting that those instructors would not let me drown. As I think about it today, my faith in God is like that. My fear of the unknown is replace with a trusting faith in God enabling me to do what seems impossible. Because of my faith, I dare to do what others are afraid to do. Because I have a faith based on the promises of God I can accomplish wondrous things. Because of my faith in God, I can see the eternal purpose of God in everything (Rom. 8:28). Those who have a strong faith can and will even after experiencing some of life's bitterest blows, say "I know it is true". Faith perceives the invisible (Heb. 11:27). Faith believes the incredible (Heb. 11:13). Faith believes it can achieve the impossible (Heb. 11:29-30, Phil. 4:13). (Incidently, I learned to swim very quickly).

 

 The writer of Hebrews tells un in chapter 6, verse 19, that hope is an anchor of our soul, both sure and stedfast. I am convinced today that the strength of that anchor lies entirely in the kind of faith we have in God. Without a strong conviction and trust in God, there will be no hope and if there is no hope, there is no anchor, and if there is no anchor we will drift aimlessly through this life and one day meet God in the judgement totally unprepared for that meeting.

 

 We live today in a changing world but hear me when I say that the need for a strong faith in God, his son, his word and his church has not changed one iota since the first century. "O for a faith that will not shrink". If my faith does not move me to study, give, pray, attend, do all within my power to further the cause of Christ on this earth, then as someone once said, "I am doing nothing more than digging my grave in Satan's cemetery.

 

 Charles Hicks

 

White House Tennessee

Darlington, Maryland

Getting away from sin and temptation is probably one of the most difficult things we have to do as Christians. Through the years people have tried many ways. They have tried starting private communities where only believers are allowed. Some have joined monasteries, in hopes of escaping sin, but the results are always somewhat mixed, because Satan is not easily foiled. He fights for our souls and far too often makes himself look attractive to us.

 

We often handle sin like the children in a story reported in the news paper awhile back. It seems that a mother of eight in Darlington, Maryland had been visiting next door. When she came home and went into the living room, she saw her 5 youngest children huddled in the center of the floor, on her new carpet, very much involved with something wiggly and squirmy. As she got closer she saw, to her horror, that the children were gathered around a family of skunks. She screamed, "Run, children, run!" Hearing their mother's frantic scream, each child grabbed a skunk and ran.

 

Sadly this story is often a reflection of our lives. We may have some very troubling things in our lives, yet, try as we may, we can't seem to run away from them, we just take them along with us.

 

I Peter 5:8-9 tells us, "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith."

 

This passage tells us, rather than running off and carrying Satan or temptation with us we should stand firm against him! Another translation says to "resist" him. Being able to succeed in staying away from temptation is not accomplished by walling ourselves up in a monastery, but is taking the fight to Satan that keep us free. Matthew 16:18 tells us that when we fight with the knowledge of God in us, the gates of hell itself will not be able to stand against us.

 

So, you have a choice, grab you skunk and run or stand up and be counted as you join with your brothers and sisters in Christ in the army of God to overcome Satan.

 

--Russ Lawson

What is the true meaning of easter

 

Did you hear about the man who had just started reading the Bible and was astounded by what he found?  Proud of his recent discovery, the man excitedly told a friend, "I've been reading my New Testament, and I never realized so many important things happened on holidays!"  His friend was puzzled:  "What do you mean?"  "Well," said the fellow, "for example, you won't believe this amazing coincidence, but this guy Jesus was born on Christmas and he came back from the grave on Easter!"

 

I'm not too sure about that Christmas date, but we can be confident of the resurrection. It is one of the few events in the gospel story we can date with accuracy, since  it was tied to the Jewish Passover – thus every spring we are reminded of that amazing Sunday morning so long ago when Jesus of Nazareth broke the power of sin and death forever and rose from the tomb.

 

But I'm afraid the very fact that we can pinpoint the anniversary of the Resurrection may lull us into the serious mistake of limiting our awareness of it to one day a year, when for the early disciples it was a living reality all year long! In fact, when we examine the book of Acts, we find that in the first-century church every sermon was a Resurrection sermon!

 

That's because the Resurrection is the key to everything we believe; it is the foundation of our faith, the basis for all our hopes, the reason for our religion.  It is the heart of the gospel:

 

1 Corinthians 15:3-4   "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he    was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures....."

 

So while we typically consider this subject at Easter,  we can't go wrong in remembering the Resurrection on any Sunday.    The resurrection of Jesus is one of the reasons Christianity is unique among all the world religions.  Charles Colson has written:

 

And sometimes, again unconsciously, we obscure the central truth of the Resurrection when we make personal testimony our primary form of evangelism.  When I was in India last fall I had many opportunities to tell what Christ has done in my life.  The thousands of faces in those predominantly Hindu crowds would nod and smile as I shared my experience.  Hindus believe all roads lead to God – if Jesus was my guru, that's fine. They all had their gurus, too.  But when I spoke of the reason for my faith, the resurrection of Christ, the nods would stop.  People's expressions changed and they listened intently.  The fact of the Resurrection demands a choice, one that reduces all other religions to mere philosophies.   [Source:  "Beware of the Easter Bunny," Christianity Today, March 21, 1986]

 

That's why Paul goes on in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 to exclaim:   "'Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?'  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

 

So this morning we celebrate the victory that is ours in Jesus!  But we cannot fully appreciate the victory unless we understand the power of the enemy –  we can't quite comprehend the loveliness of the resurrection unless we first recognize the sting of DEATH.

 

Body:

 

I.  THE STING OF DEATH.

 

You know, children have a way of putting things into perspective – they're so curious, so candid, so direct, that sometimes they force us into facing up to topics that we'd really rather avoid.  For example, several years ago, when one of my boys was only 5, we were having lunch when out of nowhere, he asked – "How many are you?"  (When you're still new to counting, that means, "How old are you?")

 

I told him my age, and he replied:   "Oh.  How many weeks is that?"

 

When you're only five, a year is a long time, so he wanted it translated into something more easily comprehended.  I did some rough calculations on my napkin, figured my age in weeks, and provided that information.  He pondered it for a moment, then had yet another question.

 

"Oh.  How many do you get?"                                   

 

How do you answer that?  Psalm 90:12 does say, "Teach us to number our days alright, so that we may gain a heart of wisdom," but that just means we should realize our days are numbered (they are not infinite).

 

That's a bit of information that I presently don't have available!  Someday someone will be reading my obituary, and as he sums up my life in a paragraph or two, he will provide that number. But at this point, I don't know!  As Isaac said, "I am now an old man and I do not know the day of my death" (Genesis 27:2). 

 

No one really knows how long they'll live.  We only know two things for sure:   we realize we won't be around on this planet indefinitely;  and the longer we live, the more we realize just how quickly time passes.  After Billy Graham wrote his autobiography he was being interviewed on television, and I happened to catch the conversation. The interviewer asked:  "As you look back over the years, what is the one thing that has surprised you the most about life?"  Without a moment's hesitation Graham replied, "The brevity of it.  How quickly it passes."

 

And for the unbeliever, that can be a terrifying thought!  Years ago Gina and I drove up Highway 1, a beautiful road that winds up the coastline of California.  About halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco we stopped at San Simeon to tour the Hearst Castle.  William Randolph Hearst, the wealthy newspaper publisher, had a magnificent mansion there, high on a mountain overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  There he held weekly banquets every Friday night which were attended by the rich, powerful, and famous.  An invitation to these meals was greatly coveted, but it came with one condition: Visitors were instructed that they could dine with Hearst only if they would never mention death in his presence!

 

We may try to ignore the fact of death, but that won't make it "go away."  We all have a "terminal condition,"  from which none of us will survive – that terminal condition is called LIFE!  Unless Jesus returns in the meantime, we will die one day – it's not a question of if, but when?  It is so universal that Joshua described his own approaching death by saying "Now I am about to go the way of all the earth"  (Joshua 23:14).  And the Bible states flatly – "It is appointed unto men once to die"  (Hebrews 9:27).

 

II.  WHY ARE SO MANY FOLKS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE FACT OF DEATH, EVEN IF THEY ARE CHRISTIANS?

 

1.  Because death is unnatural, the "enemy." (1 Corinthians 15:26 - "the last ENEMY to be destroyed is death").   God put man in the Garden of Eden to live forever! Death is the unwelcome consequence of sin, and any man who speaks lightly of it is a fool!  Cults like "Heaven's Gate" may embrace death gleefully, but not Christianity.  In the gloom of Gethsemane our Lord anticipated the coming morning with a dread so powerful that a merciful God sent an angel to strengthen him.  The sting of death comes from the fact that it is UNNATURAL!

 

Because death takes us away from all we've ever seen or known.  We sing "This world is not my home, I'm just a 'passing through" – but we base that on faith, not on sight.  "There's a land that is fairer than day, and by FAITH we can see it afar."   We are created for eternity:  BUT the Bible nowhere says that this life  is unimportant, insignificant; on the contrary, in the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon, despite his pessimism, urged us to savor life while we can:  "Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.  However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all"  (Eccles 11:7-8).

 

The Bible never says that this life is unimportant – it does say there has to be more than this life!  1 Corinthians 15:19  "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable" (KJV).  As the old song says, "The treasures of earth pass away one by one, but the kingdom of heaven remains." The sting of death comes from its UNCERTAINTY.

 

One of the most famous sermons of Frederick W. Robertson, the great Scottish preacher, was entitled "Victory Over Death."  It included this paragraph,

 

"It is no mark of courage to speak lightly of human dying.  We may do it in bravado, or in wantonness;  but no man who thinks can call it a trifling thing to die.  True thoughtfulness must shrink from death without Christ.  There is a world of untold sensations prodded into that moment when a man realizes his hour is come.  It is all over - his chance is past, and his eternity is settled.  None of us know, except by guess, what that sensation is.  Myriads of human beings have felt it to whom life was dear; but they never spoke out their feelings, for such things are untold.  And to every individual man throughout all eternity that sensation in its fullness can come but once.  It is mockery.....for a man to speak lightly about that which we cannot know till it comes".

 

[Source: Herald of Truth, "The Finality of Death", No. 379]

 

3.  Because for humans death represents an END. Everything stops for a funeral – and that's appropriate, because death represents an end to our temporal plans, work, activity.  And even though as God's children we anticipate an eternity of joy, still there is ambivalence.  It is not unlike our graduation day.  When we graduated from high school, we were proud of our accomplishments, and ready to move on with life, and yet...... there was also that bittersweet realization that a part of our life is behind us, that we will never go back to that kind of experience again.  I would not want to go back to high school for the world, yet I had mixed feelings about leaving that behind.

 

And even though we are promised something better, I believe Christians rightfully resent and resist death because:

-it is the unnatural result of sin, and violates our most basic instinct.

-it takes us out of the familiar and into the unknown

-and it represents an end.

 

III.   OUR HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION:

 

1.  That's why our text this morning is so important:  READ TEXT.  Jesus addresses the unfamiliar, and answers our every fear!

 

Here Jesus is facing his own death, and he knew that apostles would be frightened at losing him:  thus it is a message of reassurance.  (Verse 1)

 

He tells them he is going to heaven, so it will never again be an "unknown" place – now they'll know someone there-  JESUS!  Thus it is a message of reliability (Verse 2)

 

Jesus is coming back - our hope is guaranteed!  HE is the way - he said "I AM the Resurrection and the life" (John 11:25).  Thus it is a message of Resurrection.  He says, "Because I live, you also will live" (v. 19).

 

The resurrection is not a doctrine, but a fact.  Heaven is not a wish/hope/"maybe" - it has been demonstrated.  He went through death and back again, to show us the way! Because of the empty tomb, the drive to the cemetery will never again be on a "dead-end" road.

 

Because He lives ..... we can have hope even in death.

 

 ..... we have a reason for living with confidence.

 

 ..... we know there's life beyond.

 

 

--Dan Williams

 El Dorado, Arkansas

 

 

Steve Stricker

Even the "pros" need help at times. . .

Steve Stricker claims that it's part of being a PGA tour veteran that you help your fellow golfers. So before the WGC-Cadillac Championship last week in Doral, FL, Stricker spent some time helping Tiger Woods with his putting game. It worked! Woods won the Championship! In second place – just two shots behind – was… yes, Steve Stricker!

Woods had been unhappy with his putting at the Honda Classic two weeks ago. He bumped into Stricker after a practice round at Doral before the tournament and told him about his frustration with his putting game. Stricker worked with Woods for about 45-minutes, helping him get back to the putting stance that had served him well previously.

The 46-year-old Stricker said that it was not the first time he had helped out Woods or other players. "It's kind of the nature of our game. Older players have done it with me and now I'm one of those older players, I guess, and when somebody asks me for help, I tend to give it to them," he said.

Stricker, by finishing 2nd in the tournament, nabbed a purse of $869,852.94. The victorious Woods, however, pocketed $1,441,176.47! Neal Pollard observed: "Once you have finished staggering at such incredible 'earnings,' consider the magnanimity of Stricker: He helped his opponent win." *

If you and I are "professional" at anything, it is sinning! "For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Because of our sin, we're not just "losing"; we've LOST "the game" and are destined for destruction. We don't just need HELP; we need a Savior!

God loves us so much that He gave His Son to die on the cross as payment for our sins. Even though we were His "opponents" (His enemies, due to our sin, Romans 5:6-10), He came to save us. "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7).

He paid the price for our sins so that we might share in His victory over sin and death. Because of His victory, we can receive the GIFT of eternal life (Romans 6:23). He provided for us (salvation) what we could not accomplish for ourselves! "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

We can SHARE in Christ's victory when. . . we place our faith and trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). He will continue to lead to victory those who continue to follow Him faithfully (1 John 1:7).

Because we are lost without Him, Jesus came to save us!

Won't YOU accept His offer of salvation and life? Then YOU can share in His victory!

David Sargent,

* Information gleaned from "Steve Stricker Putting Lesson Helps Tiger Woods To Victory At WGC-Cadillac Championship" by Simon Evans of Reuters in the Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com) and "Helping Your Opponent Win" by Neal Pollard