It’s Not Hard, Daddy

I hope it is okay, and I ask that you please indulge me for a moment while I share a story about the lesson I learned recently from my children. All of us have likely had those times where, in the presence of kids, we were reminded and were keenly aware of Jesus’ words, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4). This was one of those times. I had one of those moments last week while we were doing our evening devotional from our Bible reading schedule. We read from John 18:15-27 the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus in the first stages of His trial. We read the story and talked about Peter’s actions and why he may have said the things he did when asked about his relationship to the Lord. I noticed as we were talking about the situation that both of my older children had a puzzled look. In our Bible Reading devotional guide, there are several questions designed for children to cause them to think about the story and respond. We came to the question, “Why is it sometimes hard to talk to other people about Jesus, just like in Peter’s story?” and then the next one, “What can you do to help overcome your fear about talking to others about God?” I asked the question …

The Bible Is Superior Because of Its Saving Messages

All human beings sin against the Father in heaven (Romans 3:23). The prophet Isaiah informs us that sin separates us from the Father (Isaiah 59:1-2). How is it that man, being separated from his God, may find his way back into that relationship? Job spoke in despair, “Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both” (Job 9:33 NKJV). Before the foundations of the world, God ordained a plan to redeem man. His plan was to be executed and fulfilled by His Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible is literally the only source from which we can glean from the life and teachings of Jesus. If we were to take the Bible away, we would be left with what William Barclay called “fugitive memories and subjective opinions.” The teachings of Jesus were unprecedented in His day, and all of the moral enlightenments and profound statements of the truths of life serve as a foundational basis for modern morals and ethics as well as the literary classics. “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16-17). Were it not for the sacred text, we would be void of the wonderful message of Jesus Christ. Without knowledge of His death, burial and resurrection, there would be no Gospel by which we may be saved from sin and death (Romans 1:16); there would be no …

Add to Your Faith… Why?

Many are familiar with the words of the apostle Peter in saying, “…[G]iving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love (2 Peter 1:5-7). His words are a challenge to remember that much of Christianity is about increasing in our faith in Him. There are numerous reasons why we should be doing these things, but we often ignore the immediate context of the passage where Peter tells us his reason why. Peter prefaces this list by saying, “…[F]or this very reason…add to your faith” (2 Peter 1:5). In other words, he is drawing a conclusion—we should “add to our faith,” because of what he said in the previous verses. So, what reasons does Peter give to be growing? After his introduction, he says of “Jesus our Lord” that “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:3-4). In short, we might say that Peter’s intent is to draw our eyes to the magnificence of the work of Jesus Christ, and then show us the appropriate response—”add to your faith.” The writer to the Hebrews did …

A Simple Beginning

There is a common illustration you have probably heard that is often called The Snowball Effect. The premise behind it is simple: Even the smallest snowball, when allowed to roll down a snowy hill, will collect more and more snow, and eventually, if allowed to roll long enough, will become a very large snowball. We can apply the illustration to many things, but think about it today in regard to sin. Sin often starts small. An addict doesn’t just wake up one morning an addict. There is a process involved, which began, at one point, with one first sample. The same is true for many situations. Take the example of the Gentiles of whom Paul spoke in Romans 1:18-32. We are aware that these people ended up in a vile state of living. In verses 22-32, Paul recorded their complete abandonment of God. They had forgotten about Him, and replaced His worship with worship of idols and the like. Romans 1:24 tells us God gave them up to uncleanness, and the “lusts of their hearts.” What a shameful situation in which to be involved! How did they get there? In verses 20-21, we are told that they at one time knew God, but simply refused to glorify Him as God. They knew that He was there, and knew all that He had done; they just simply turned a deaf ear. In familiar terms, we might say they didn’t “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). How many can say …

Who Is a Disciple?

The term “disciple” is thrown around quite often in the world today, especially in religious circles. We find many programs and groups denoted “Discipleship Ministries.” We are familiar with a particular denomination which calls itself “Disciples of Christ.” Alexander Campbell, near the beginning of his movement to restore New Testament Christianity, resolved with his group to call themselves simply, “Disciples.” If asked, most of us would express some desire to be a disciple of Christ. However, we need to ask the question, “What is a disciple?” Or, more personally, “Who is a disciple?” A disciple is, by definition: A Learner – One of the primary definitions of disciple is to be one who is devoted to learning. One who has his mind shut to learning how he or she may improve his or her life cannot be a disciple of Christ. Jesus, in speaking to the Jews at the Feast of Tabernacles, told them that the key to knowing God’s will was dependant upon having a desire to know it (cf. John 7:17). If we will be disciples, we must open our eyes to our shortcomings, and open our hearts to learn how to correct them. A Follower – To be a disciple, is to be “a follower; and adherent to the doctrines of another.” To be a disciple, in the fullest sense of the word, is to be a follower. Notice that it isn’t a partial or part-time follower, but an adherent! To be an adherent is to be one …

A Sower Went Forth to Sow

“A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside…some fell on rock…some fell among thorns…but others fell on good ground” (Luke 8:5-8). In Luke Chapter 8, Jesus told one of the most well-known parables in the Bible, The Parable of the Soils. He spoke of the soil by the wayside, the rocky soil, the thorny soil and finally the good soil, each representing the way that a heart receives the Word of God, which is “the seed” (8:11). Often times, we use this parable to describe the work of preaching. We may say, “We’ve been sowing the seed, but we haven’t found very many good soils.” Or, “It is hard to find good soil in this world.” We say things like this from the perspective of the one who supposedly is the good soil. How about if we turn it around? How many times have we asked ourselves, “What kind of soil am I?” Let us take a moment and reflect upon our own personal condition and spirituality. So, how about it? What kind of soil are you? Make sure to be honest with yourself! Are you the wayside soil? Has the devil stolen the good Word from your life? Do you have any thoughts or intentions of faithfulness? Do you think spiritually any other day than Sunday? Are you the rocky soil that never really allows the Word to implant itself in your life? Have you allowed the Faith to truly root itself and …

Oh, What God Has Done!

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him” (Psalm 34:8). Numbers 22-24 records for us the story of the wicked prophet Balaam and his encounter with Balak, king of Moab. As the story goes, Balaam is called to come and “curse” Israel on behalf of Balak, so Moab would not be harmed by Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land. Balaam entreats the Lord, hoping for the message by which he could curse Israel. Instead, he ends up bringing a blessing from God. In chapter 23, there is a shocking statement that Balaam makes about Israel. In verses 13-24, he praises God for all He has done for Israel and concludes by this bold proclamation: “…It now must be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done’” (Numbers 23:23). The statement itself is not a shocking one, as it is clear from Scripture that God deserved the praise for all of His work. However, it is shocking because of the mouth from which it came. It didn’t come from the mouths of Israel who should have known best what God had done. Yet, it was wicked Balaam, who as an outsider, could not deny God’s presence with His people. It happened often in the nation’s history. Balak called for Balaam because he was “…sick with dread because of the children of Israel” (Numbers 22:3). He knew what their God could do. Before Israel conquered Jericho, Rahab the harlot spoke of all God had done (dried up the Red Sea, etc.), and said that when they heard of those things, …

Assumptions

“But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ…So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way” (Romans 14:10, 12-13).     “Did you hear what so and so is doing over there?” “I can’t believe they are standing for that!” “I heard that they were doing ________.” We’ve all heard similar statements, and regrettably, many of us have made them. They seem simple and harmless, but with a simple flip of the tongue like this, an individual, a family, a church, etc. is labeled with a bad reputation or name; regardless of the truth, it is all based on what someone said. What a shame for things like that to happen. What an even greater shame when Christians speak such things of other brethren!     A similar thing happened in the land of Canaan in Joshua 22. After the people were finally able to inhabit the Promised Land and began to settle in their respective areas, the tribes of Reuben, Gad and ½ of Manasseh took their place east of the Jordan, as opposed to the other 10½ tribes west of the Jordan. After some time, we are told in verse 10 that the eastern tribes built an “impressive altar.” That’s it! No more info is given at …

Preaching and Devotion

In the years preceding the American Civil War, the brotherhood of churches of Christ had begun to experience significant unrest. Many were discouraged, feeling the advancement of the cause for which they had been laboring was beginning to decline and that the brotherhood stood weakened because of it. This factor, along with many others, contributed to the introduction of human innovations and organizations in an attempt to remedy this and other problems. In defense of bringing the instrument into the church’s worship, McGarvey records the Broadway church in Lexington, KY, as claiming that if the instrument were not implemented, “the future prosperity of the church was at stake” (45). Justification for the mission societies and other organizations carried the same tone. G.W. Elley wrote, “They [societies] have been advocated as necessary to the increase of the number to be saved” (qtd. in West 209, emp. added).     When we work for the cause of leading souls to our Lord, it is sometimes easy to become discouraged when we don’t see the results we expect. It may be a temptation, as it was for those gone before, to begin seeking new methods—turning to new innovations for the answer to such disappointments. However, the advancement of Christianity does not depend upon our own devices or schemes, nor the schemes of others.     There are some today who seek a remedy in unscriptural innovations, the same as those mentioned from times past, to promote growth. The answer cannot be found there. Likewise, though much good is done …

He Came to Serve

“But whoever desires to become great amongyou, let him be your servant (Matthew 20:26).     Why did Jesus come to earth? There are many different answers we could give to such a general question. The Bible gives us plenty from which to choose: “…to seek and save that which was lost” (Matthew 18:11); “…that [we] may have life, and that [we] may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10); and for “…bringing many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). The popular song that we sing answers the question, “Because He loved me so.” All of the preceding is good and true. However, there is one statement in the Bible that seems to stand above the others in that they are all included in the one. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).     Jesus’ life can be summarized very simply by, “Service.” Peter did exactly that when he spoke of Jesus’ ministry, saying “[He] went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). Yes, Jesus came to save, and to give life, and to bring us home to glory, but all those things can be categorized under one thought: Jesus placed the needs of others above His own. Paul would later encourage the Philippians to have the mind of Christ who took the form of a bondservant (cf. Philippians 2:5), which included “…in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Philippians 2:3).     Jesus was …

Fellowship in the Gospel

One of the attributes of that Bible that make it so great is its great depth. Never can a man so study the Bible that it ceases to inspire and elevate his life to a higher plane by its great truths. When studied and considered with an honest heart, even the small, seemingly insignificant passages of Scripture can display wonderful lessons by which to live. Take, for example, the apostle Paul’s simple statements of gratitude found in each of his letters to the churches. Though they are easily overlooked, they declare attributes of these churches that meant much to Paul, and for us, are worthy of imitating. One worthy of note and consideration is found in Philippians 1:3-5: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now” (emp. added).     What does it mean to have fellowship in the Gospel? Paul expresses here one of the greatest blessings of living a life for the Lord: the tender, loving companionship of brethren found only in Christ Jesus. As he waited in imprisonment, how precious must have been the memories of such dear friends during such a time of difficulty. What great support they must have given him; what love they must have showered upon him, for he thanked God every time he thought of them (vs. 3), kept them in his heart (vs. 7) and longed for them deeply (vs. 8). …

Let Jesus Be Seen

“I’ve been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).     Shortly following the magnificent and awesome events surrounding the establishment of our Lord’s kingdom in Acts Chapter Two, we find two of the apostles of Jesus actively working to increase the numbers of this great family. Despite Peter and John’s arrest, Luke records for us, “…the number of the men came to be about five thousand” (Acts 4:4). These men were about to stand before the same accusers and murderers of the Christ Himself. Though we would expect to see in them fear after being witness to such a horrible death of the Lords, they exhibit the exact opposite.     Peter, by the guidance of the promised Holy Spirit, defended their healing of the lame man and preaching in Acts Three and Four. In his discourse, Peter accuses the men of rejecting Jesus as the “chief cornerstone” and pronounces their eternal demise by his glorious declaration that salvation was in none other, “…for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”(Acts 4:12). These rulers made an interesting observation following this convicting defense. They saw the boldness of the two men, “…they marveled” and “…realized they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).     What a powerful …

Ordinary People/Extraordinary Faith

The Bible, especially in the Old Testament, speaks often of great and powerful kings whose leadership was honorable and mighty, of men who were noble and wealthy, having great influence on the people. However, mingled into those accounts, and literally filling the Old Testament record, are those powerful stories with timeless messages and lessons to be learned, which are not of kings and leaders, but of the common, everyday individual. Consider Gideon, the weakest of the weak (cf. Judges 6:15) and Rahab, the harlot from Jericho. These had no honor, no wealth, no fame and no power. But what they did have was great faith, and that made all the difference. Sometimes we need to be reminded of the power of one—rich or poor, powerful or weak—and of the fact that even one soul’s faith has the ability to inspire, encourage and make a difference in other’s lives. Consider some New Testament examples.     The Syrophoenician Woman – In Matthew 15, we find an unusual and yet moving encounter in the Lord’s ministry. A Gentile woman approaches Jesus seeking aid for her afflicted daughter, to which Jesus at first does not even respond. He then challenges her faith with a statement amounting to little more than “No.” Consider this woman’s obstacles: she was a woman, she was a Gentile woman, and she had most likely never met Jesus, nor saw him perform a miracle. She sought healing based solely on the word of others. When she approached him, she was ignored, and even after his friends tried …