Sunday Evening Observance of the Lord’s Supper

Dear Bro. Rushmore, I was sent a link to your site by my located preacher, referencing “the Lord’s supper alone” response. I have been studying and questioning the practice of multiple observances of the Lord’s supper by a local congregation, which is for the accommodation of the membership’s schedules (work, play, sickness, etc.). I fail to see the wisdom behind such a practice. Let alone any scriptural authority for only a porption of the local assembly to perform any act of worship, while the rest of the assembly observe (or do anything else). It’s not acceptable with singing (i.e. choirs), praying, or listening to God’s word being proclaimed, so why is it for the Lord’s supper? Worship is an action that is authorized by scripture (truth) and joined with the appropiate attitude (spirit) (John 4:24). Public or corporate worship is the above, but the whole assembly participating in the same avenue at the same time and place, with such leading to the edification of the body (1 Corinthians 14:26,40, Eph 4:16, Hebrews 10:25). Any thoughts? Sincerely, Matt Klingman, Vermilion Church of Christ First Corinthians 11:26 indicates frequency without specificity respecting Lord’s Supper, plus a purpose for observing the Lord’s Supper: “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Corinthians 11:26). Acts 20:7 indicates frequency with specificity for observing the Lord’s Supper, each Lord’s Day: “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together …

Are Prenuptials Biblical?

Hi, Are prenuptials Biblical and can you elaborate on it, God Bless, Kathy Neither any of my biblical resources nor the Bible, as far as I am able to ascertain, addresses the subjection of prenuptial agreements. However, I did locate the following partial response on the Internet that another person offered to a similar inquiry. Although prenuptial agreements are not mentioned in the Bible, God does tell us how we are to view marriage, and from that we can figure how agreements such as these would be viewed. First, God intended marriage to be permanent, everlasting. When two Christian people go into a marriage, it should be with the strong belief that divorce is not possible, and it should not even be an option. To have a premarital agreement allows for the possibility of divorce. When God formed Eve from Adam’s rib, He was signifying the purpose of a husband and wife relationship. The woman is the man’s helper, taken from under his protective arm and formed from the same flesh. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Obviously this means that separating should not even be a contemplation. The only reason divorce was ever allowed was because of sin, and people refusing to obey God’s Word. “Jesus replied, ‘Moses permitted divorce as a concession to your hard-hearted wickedness, but it was not what God had originally intended’” (Matthew 19:8). God never changes, and He despises …

Population Explosion in Egypt

Dear Bro Rushmore, I cannot imagine that 70 souls arrived in Egypt and increased to about 2 million (estimates) in a short 230 years (if 430 years dated from Abraham). Is this arithmatically possible? Thank You Brotherly, Jimmy Singapore As you note, most Bible students acknowledge that of the 430 years from Abraham to the Exodus, Jacob and his descendants were in Egypt until the Exodus for 215 years. Matthew Henry’s Commentary puts the matter in perspective: Though the accomplishment of promises is always sure, yet it is often slow. It was now 215 years since God had promised Abraham to make of him a great nation (Gen 12:2); and yet that branch of his seed on which the promise was entailed had increased only to seventy, of which this particular account is kept, that the power of God in multiplying these seventy to so vast a multitude, even in Egypt, may appear the more illustrious. When God pleases, a little one shall become a thousand, Isa 60:22. This citation seems to place an immense amount of confidence in God’s Word, as we ought to do. However, other commentators, etc. propose a number of alternatives to diminish the 600,000 male Israelites of military age plus an estimated one and a half million or so other Israelites. One source removes the numbers under consideration from factual consideration when he writes, “Here now, we have 70 souls who enter Mitzraim to ultimately grow into a nation of 600,000 plus. (Of course, this number has …

Holding the Faith of Christ

For more than three years, Jesus worked and taught among his own people in an almost futile effort to persuade them that he was the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God. It was not until after his resurrection that any of his four half-brothers became believers in him (cf. John 7:5; 1 Corinthians 15:7). As a believer, his half-brother James became a very prominent man in the church in Jerusalem, and he penned a letter especially designed to motivate Jewish Christians to be stronger, more dedicated, having a zeal that conformed to the will and purpose of God. Among the many exhortations contained in the epistle that bears his name is one found in Chapter 2, Verse 1: “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.” There are possible attitudes on the part of man that are not compatible (will not blend) with “the faith of Christ,” and no effort or excuse will change the matter. Therefore, whoever claims to be holding “the faith of Christ” must conform to “the faith of Christ.” What are we to understand by the “faith of Christ”? Let the apostle Paul answer that question. Writing to the church in Philippi, he described his honored position and zeal under the Law of Moses as that which did give “confidence in the flesh” (3:4-6). But he counted this all as “…dung, that I may win Christ and be found in Him, not having mine own …

Significant Relationships Hold Precious Memories

What memories flood our minds when we think of the people that have influenced our lives? Was it our parents, a sibling, a particular relative, a special teacher, a classmate, a friend, a boss, a co-worker? It has been said that people come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When we know why the relationship is, we interact with that person accordingly. This interaction will determine the growing and sustaining of the relationship. When people come into our lives for a reason, usually it is to meet a need we have expressed. When people come into our lives for a season, it has become our turn to share, grow or learn. Lifetime relationships teach us lifetime lessons. I have three brothers and two sisters, and it has been amazing the things we remember about our parents who are both dead. We have laughed until we cried remembering not only what they said and did, but also how they said and did things. Their lifetime relationship with us was invaluable in our developing a solid emotional foundation, accepting the lessons they taught and putting what they taught us to use in all other relationships. When they spoke a life lesson, we knew exactly what they meant! In addition to our parents, we had this aunt who taught us lifetime lessons. This aunt was our mother’s sister, who also had six children. We “lived” at her home and her children “lived” at ours. My mother and my aunt knew …

Beauty: Natural and Spiritual

Natural Beauty Human beings are fascinated, not only by the existence and revolutions of the moon, but also by its beauty. The moon serves a utilitarian purpose in regulating the months and the tides, and it also serves an aesthetic purpose to earth dwellers. Up close, it is neither utilitarian nor beautiful, but from a quarter of a million miles, its yellow crescent or its white full-orbed splendor does something to everyone, especially to lovers. Did the moon’s Maker have something in mind for earth dwellers both practically and aesthetically? When one turns his eyes from the moon back to the earth, and examines a rose, several questions arise. How did it arrive? Why is it so symmetrically shaped, beautifully colored, and delicately perfumed? If there is no practical value, did the rose’s Maker have an appreciation for things of beauty? Did he put in humans a corresponding sense of appreciation of symmetry, of colors and of fragrance? If one tries to make a list of beautiful things, he becomes exhausted. Long before the apples of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia become utilitarian nourishment, that valley in blossom season is more than any artist can imagine. Also, springtime in the Rocky Mountains has something more than mining and ranching. Furthermore, sunrise at sea is more than another earth revolution. The scientific explanation of a sunrise at sea leaves something to be desired: “the earth revolves until its tangent plane coincides once more with the solar azimuth.” The songs of the …

Beyond Absurd

Shirley MacLaine has written a book with her dog. Out on a Leash (a take off of MacLaine’s earlier work Out on a Limb) purports to be co-authored by MacLaine and her “humanimal” Terry. An interviewer asked why she hadn’t collaborated with pets before. She said she hadn’t yet been ready to listen. (Parade Magazine, Dec. 14, 2003). On MacLaine’s website, her dog Terry has a statement of introduction to the section “Pet Pages.” In it, the dog purportedly says this: “Hi. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Terry. Shirley is my human Mom. …Mom asked me to create a section of her website that focuses on animals. I thought this was a wonderful idea.” Lest we think the suggestion of a talking and writing dog creating a website at his owner’s suggestion is intended to be a joke, this sentence is included, in a plug for “their” book: “Mom and I collaborated on a book, which is titled Out on a Leash. It is a serious book that looks at the world through her eyes and through mine.” Ms. MacLaine’s work with her Terrier is proposed to be a “serious book.” Further, the dog allegedly writes, “We did an audio book, too, that is available on CD or audio cassette. Mom reads the whole thing of course, but she acted my role while we recorded it.” Please excuse the sarcasm when I note that it was helpful that Shirley “acted” (i.e. read) the dog’s part of the script. One might think that a talking, writing, website-building dog …

Delivered by Whom?

In Acts 2:23, we find the following words, “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.” The question may be raised, “If he was delivered unto death by the determinate counsel of God, why should anyone be found guilty for doing what God had already planned must be done?” This may sound like a hard philosophical question to answer, but for one who understands and believes what the Bible teaches it seems relatively simple. God had planned before the foundation of the world that Christ should die for the sins of the world. God knew that there would be wicked men who would want him dead because of their jealousy or fear, or for other reasons. The fact that God knew that wicked men would do that does not mean that God made them do it or that he is to blame for their deed because he knew it would happen. If you see a man push another out of an airplane, you can be reasonably or 90% certain that the man will fall to his death, but no thoughtful, intelligent person would assume that you are therefore 90% guilty of his death, or contributed to it in any fashion. So, the fact that God knew that Judas was a thief and would betray Christ did not mean that Judas was any less guilty. God knew that Pilate was a coward and an immoral weakling who …

Matthew Twenty-Four Misapplied

It is supposed that a natural curiosity on the part of man regarding the return of Jesus to this world for the purpose of judging us in righteousness (Acts 17:30-31) is to be expected. However, date setting is an exercise in futility, for God has not revealed when his Son will return to execute the sentences of eternal damnation or bliss. Since God has revealed no dates, nor hints of dates, it is useless for us to set them. In the lifetime of this writer, no less than twenty dates have been set for the return of Jesus, and that event never materialized. If what a man predicts does not come to pass, we are to ignore such a prophet because he is a false one (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). Nevertheless, men continue to comb the Holy Scriptures in the hope that they can find some hint or sign of the Second Coming of Christ. We have heard it said that we will know when Christ is coming because the only way we will be able to tell one season from another is by the falling of the leaves. That is not much of a hint! How do we tell one season from another now? The Bible nowhere says anything remotely like this. This is called “chimney corner scripture,” meaning it is not Scripture at all! Predictors of the Second Coming along with many “doomsday” predictors often turn to Matthew 24 and tell us these are the signs of Christ’s coming. Then …

Warm and Fuzzy

A while back, I went down to the little grocery store we have here in our little town. It’s not much different from most small stores that are located in most small towns scattered all across this great country of ours. I had to pick up just a few odd items, you know, the stuff you seem to run out of constantly like milk, cornbread mix, sweet pickles and sandwich bags. I suppose that’s why these little stores seem to prosper so well in such a small town. As I go into the store, I see ole’ Buddy sittin’ with some other fellas drinking coffee and he hollers “Howdy!” As I go down the isle looking for the cornbread mix, I run into my sister-in-law and her daughter and we stop and “neighbor” a bit. Standing at the checkout counter is Ray, a retired electrician that I used to work with; he acts like he’s tickled to death to see me. Ms. Mary checks me out and asks me how things are going. I head out the door with my little bag of oddball items and there’s Mike, my father-in-law’s neighbor’s son-in-law who gives me a friendly wave. As I get into my truck, I realize that I’ve got this warm fuzzy feelin’ down deep inside. It’s kinda hard to explain, like being happy for no special reason at all. Then I realize that it just feels good to be treated like you belong. That same warm fuzzy feeling is …

The Common Level

Our nation paid tribute recently to a very popular former President of the United States of America who had passed from this life into eternity. There was much pomp and ceremony surrounding the various funeral services from our nation’s capital to the state of California. Several years ago, a well known singer and performer died suddenly and unexpectantly at the age of 42. Many responded with a “I can’t believe that he is dead.” He was in the prime of his life and it seemed that he had many years ahead of him to continue in his profession. Here were two well known individuals known to the world, yet separated by age and influence due to their varied relationships to mankind. But both experienced that which is common to all–death In this life, men are often separated from each other due to such factors as race, economics, social and educational status, but there is a common denominator that unites all men, and that is the grim reaper called death. The Holy Spirit reveals in Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (NKJV). Death is no respecter of persons. It matters not whether one is young or old, rich or poor, a king or a peasant, popular or unpopular; death eventually comes to every man and woman. Moses, in referring to the rebellious Israelites, stated, “if these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate …

Almost, But Lost

“Almost” is a sad word. In the different contexts where it is generally used, it denotes something that was expected, but that did not take place. It was almost a home run, but the outfielder caught it for the out. The pass receiver almost caught the pass for a touchdown, but now its fourth down and ten to go. The bullet almost missed its intended victim. By far, the saddest “almost” concerns one who is almost saved. In the Bible we find King Agrippa using this word when he said, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28). He had just had the privilege of hearing the apostle Paul preach the Gospel to him. Wouldn’t it have been a wonderful thing for any of us to have been in that audience? When one is “almost” saved, he or she is truly not far from the kingdom of God. All that friends and loved ones know to do has been done. Teaching has been done, prayers have ascended to the throne of God on behalf of such a one; even tears of strong crying have been shed, but still that person is not saved–has not obeyed the Gospel. Do you know that there are those who are earnestly praying for you to come to the knowledge of the truth of God, and obey that truth? We are told that many are reading these articles that come to you. We are told that you are learning the truth, and are …

Glimpses of Glory

[Christian Bible Teacher 46 (2002): 56.] Whenever I read Exodus 33:18-23, I am filled with a sense of awe. Moses made a bold request of God when he said, “Please show me your glory.” God answered, “Here is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock. So, it shall be, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand while I pass by. Then I will take away my hand and you shall see my back, but my face you shall not see.” What an awesome experience that must have been for Moses, as he stood in the cleft of the rock under the protective hand of God. Then came the climactic moment when God took his hand away, and Moses was able to see the glory of God! Sometimes I wish I could see the glory of God in the way Moses did. God may never reveal himself to us in such a dramatic way, but he gives us small glimpses of his glory every day. Whenever we see a beautiful sunset or a brilliant rainbow, we are witnessing the glory of God. The Psalmist said, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). We also see God’s glory when we come together as a church to worship him. Our times of worship should be a delight, not a duty. If we don’t enjoy worship, how can …

Ruth Crossword Puzzle

(Crossword Puzzle is Internet Interactive; do the puzzle online.) You need Java enabled to view the crossword applet. Solution

Isolation

Have you ever been to a hospital? Have you ever been very sick and had to stay at home? Have you seen doctors and nurses wear gloves and masks? Some diseases and infections are very contagious. Contagious means that the people that are not sick can get sick if they are around the sick person. The sick person may have a germ or virus that the healthy person will get if the healthy person gets close to him. The germ or virus may be on anything in the room of the sick person. The sick person is kept in one hospital room. Or the person may be told to stay inside his own home. This is known as putting someone in isolation. So doctors and nurses may wear gloves to keep from getting the germ or virus on their hands. They throw the gloves away when they leave the room. The doctors and nurses may wear a mask to keep from breathing the germ or virus. Sometimes it is necessary for the sick person to wear the mask to keep from breathing the virus or germ on other people. Germs and viruses were not discovered until about the last one hundred years. Before that time people did not have the technology to see them or find them. But in the Bible God gave instructions to the Israelites that helped keep them from getting sick. In Leviticus 13:1-14:57, there are many instructions regarding keeping someone in isolation to be observed for …

A Thousand Years Old

Many people want to live a long time. Doctors are in the business of helping people live longer. Some scientists are researching treatments and medicines that will help people live longer. No matter how long a person lives, it is a very short time compared to eternity. God is eternal. He will never die. In fact, he created time. He has always existed. He existed when there was no time, and he will exist when time ends. Psalm 90 is supposed to have been written by Moses. In this psalm, Moses talks about the insignificance of man’s life compared to God. This briefness of life should impress on each person that obedience to God is very important. In verse 4, Moses says that a thousand years is like yesterday to God. In verse 10, Moses says that the average age of death for man in his time was 70 years and if fortunate it was 80 years. In verse 5, Moses says God carries away man as with a flood. This is interesting. In another instance where the 1000-year time period is mentioned, the Flood is part of the context. In 2 Peter 3, Peter is telling those who say things have never changed that they are wrong. The world was destroyed by the Flood. He says that with God 1000 years is no different than a day. It is possible that Moses and Peter are referring to a biblical character though not mentioning his name. The oldest man who …

The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus

There are four events that have changed the history of the world. First, the entrance of sin into the world. Second, the birth of Jesus Christ. Third, the Pentecost day marking the establishment of the Lord’s church in Acts 2. Fourth, the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. People in many different situations can profit from a study of Saul’s conversion to Christ. Some people believe on Christ, but are confused as to what is involved in conversion. Some think that the Lord has appeared to them as he did to Saul in his conversion. Others think that the Lord has spoken to them as he did to Saul on the Damascus road. Everything in Saul’s life was calculated against his becoming a Christian. He was reared a Pharisee (Acts 26:5). He had no social ties among Christians to influence him (Acts 9:26). He was steeped in the Jewish religion (Acts 22:3; Philippians 3:5-6). He was an avowed enemy of Jesus Christ (Acts 26:9; Philippians 3:6). His heart was not “pricked” after hearing a Gospel sermon (Acts 2:37), nor was he seeking salvation at the time of his conversion. Instead, he was actively engaged in the work of eliminating the Way (Acts 22:4). There are three accounts of Saul’s conversion in the Book of Acts: Luke’s account (Acts 9:1-19), Paul’s account in a speech to Jews at Jerusalem (Acts 22:1-16), Paul’s account in a speech before Agrippa (Acts 26:1-20). In 1 Timothy 1:12-16, Paul gives another account of his conversion. He …

Where Does Lightning Strike?

The scene is the 1991 U.S. Open. The place is Hazeltine National Golf Course, just outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The day is peaceful, calm and nice. A gorgeous summer day. From far out on the horizon, the front wave of a bank of gray clouds rushes swiftly overhead within minutes. Turbulent skies blacken and boil. Swirling banks of electricity collect overhead. Lightning is spotted. A golfer’s worst nightmare. Storm sirens soon blast as a fierce thunderstorm blows in, threatening the safety of one of the largest single-day crowds in the history of professional golf. Forty thousand spectators scramble for any makeshift covering. Anything will work. A refreshment stand. An umbrella. A tree. Anything. A group of spectators seeks shelter under a thirty-foot willow tree near the eleventh tee to keep from being drenched. Wisely, an official asks them to find another spot elsewhere. It is just too dangerous to be under a tall tree with lightning spotted. A few people disperse. A few stay. The storm heightens and lightning strikes a tree behind the tenth green, splitting its trunk in half, stripping back the bark like a peeled banana. A visible reminder of the storm’s fury and power is recorded for all to see. Then a minute later–boom!–another lightning bolt strikes. This time it is the tall willow tree. A dozen bodies topple like bowling pins. The noise is outrageous, likened to a series of M-80 firecrackers exploding. “All I heard was a boom, boom, like gunshots,” said spectator Don …

Auricular Confession

Before discussing auricular confessions, we must first define terms. Webster’s New World College Dictionary defines auricular as “received by or spoken directly into the ear; private.” To confess is “to admit a fault or crime; acknowledge one’s guilt.” An auricular confession refers to the act of one privately confessing sins to a priest in a confessional. This ritual, practiced by Catholics, has no biblical authority. There are two main faults with the belief of auricular confessions: (1) the use of priests and (2) secret confessions. The first fault of this belief is the use of priests. As God designed the New Testament church, there is no special title of priests among the saved. First Peter 2:5 refers to all Christians as a “holy priesthood” and verse nine uses the phrase “royal priesthood.” Based on these verses, every Christian is a priest. If we were, therefore, to make secret confessions of our sins to priests, then any Christian can hear these confessions. The second fault of this belief is that of a secret confession being made in the first place. Nowhere in the Scriptures can one find a command to make such secretive confessions. James 5:16-17 refers to Christians confessing sins. There, we are commanded to confess our faults “one to another.” This means Christians are to confess sins to each other. By no means does “one to another” imply a secret confession. We are not restricted to confessing before a few choice individuals but the whole body of Christ. We now know …

Digging Up the Past

Archaeology is a science that sifts evidence of mankind’s past to discern historical information. A dictionary definition for “archaeology” is “the scientific study of material remains (as fossil relics, artifacts, and monuments) of past human life and activities” (Merriam). A simplified, homespun definition of “archaeology” could be “digging up the past.” Bible archaeology is archaeological excavation, examination and ascertaining information about biblical characters, biblical places or biblical times. Since archaeology is a science, it is vulnerable to a degree of subjective assessment (i.e., educated guesses). Unfortunately, in every sphere of life, unintended biases as well as covert (or sometimes thinly veiled) prejudices influence conclusions to which one arrives regarding the available evidence. For instance, once biblical archaeologists were usually friends of the Bible and delighted whenever they found extra-biblical, archaeological evidence that validated the biblical text. Now, so-called new biblical archaeologists are pronounced enemies of the Bible and are horrified whenever extra-biblical, archaeological evidence is interpreted by anyone to validate the biblical text. New Bible Archaeology has boldly undertaken the reevaluation of past discoveries and revels in issuing new assessments of past archaeological discoveries that contradict earlier, published conclusions. Biblical archaeologists who characteristically diminish any possible relationship between archaeological discoveries and the Bible are called minimalists; biblical archaeologists who characteristically capitalize on any possible relationship between archaeological discoveries and the Bible are called maximalists. Available evidence implies that what has been unearthed and examined may not represent all of the potential evidence that either has not been found yet, or if discovered, to date has not been …