“Before beginning a Hunt,
it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it.”
Winnie the Pooh Pooh’s Little Instruction Book Winnie the Pooh, of course, was likely looking for honey in the Hundred Acre Wood. The bear’s advice, however, is on target. People sometimes spend a great deal of time and energy looking for something but have never quite figured out what, exactly, they are looking for.
“Direction is more important than speed,” so the saying goes, “We are so busy looking at our speedometers that we forget the milestone.”
As a nation, we need a clear direction. Too often we become enmeshed in the details of public policy without answering the basic question, “What sort of country do we want America to be?” John W. Gardner spoke to this point, “America’s greatness has been the greatness of a free people who shared certain moral commitments. Freedom without moral commitment is aimless and promptly self-destructive.”
We should all worry when our national attention shifts away from values, for without a moral framework everything we love about our nation is in jeopardy.
In the church, as well, we must keep our basic mission in mind.
We must maintain a commitment to the Bible, faithfully following the pattern of work and of worship God has given to us. We must let God guide our lives and direct us in the right way.
Maintaining the proper focus, we can achieve great things in the Lord’s service. Without the proper direction, we will end up in the wrong place altogether.
—Gregory Alan Tidwell Editor, the Gospel Advocate
We tend to be serious and exclusive when dealing with serious matters. When you go to a physician for treatment, the doctor doesn’t outline four or five arbitrary therapies, asking you to choose the one which “floats your boat.” Rather, a physician seeks the greatest precision in addressing the patient’s situation.
In the same way, but even more profoundly, Jesus claims to address the central elements of life, putting Himself forward to be the answer to our most profound needs.
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden,” Jesus invites, “and I will give you rest.” This loving call invites us into a new way of life filled with blessings and with responsibilities. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,” is the Savior’s commandment and promise, “for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
The power of the gospel is transformational. It moves us from the way of the world into the way of salvation in Christ. Receiving the blessings of Jesus as your Savior entails entering into a relationship with Jesus as your Lord.
In contrast to the transforming power of the gospel, much of today’s popular religion is accommodating rather than confrontational. Worldly religions reinforce rather than challenge worldly behavior. In contrast to the world’s message of indulgence, the church must continually reinforce the Lord’s call to repentance.
—Gregory Alan Tidwell Editor, the Gospel Advocate
After Paul was seized by the mob in Jerusalem, he was taken into Roman custody. And because a Jewish plot to take his life was discovered, the Romans transferred him to Caesarea. While there, Paul had the opportunity to defend himself before governors Felix and Festus. And it was before Festus that Paul made his famous appeal to be taken before Caesar saying: “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar” (Acts 25:10-11).
After assuring Paul that his request would be granted, Festus made provisions for him to be taken by ship to Rome. But that voyage, like most of Paul’s other experiences, was not to be without incident. In the midst of the long journey, a storm, so severe that “sailors were seeking to escape from the ship” (Acts 27:30), encompassed the vessel. Nevertheless, an angel assured Paul that he and all those present on the voyage would survive the impending wreck. Thus, Paul spoke: “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me” (Acts 27:25).
Paul’s words reflect the confidence that all Christians should have in God’s Word. He knew that if God had promised his safety, he would be safe indeed. No wonder Paul later wrote: “…I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Timothy 1:12).
—Chad Ramsey Author of Reasons to Believe and In God’s Image
By Mike Riley
On my grandfather’s farm was a field he sowed by hand. He would strap on a canvas contraption similar to a kangaroo pouch, fill it with seed, and go out to sow. He would cast seed everywhere. When a farmer sows seed in his field, it looks like he’s throwing the seed away. It seems to be lost, but it isn’t really gone. In due time he gets it back with much more than he started out with. When we give ourselves to Christ, it may seem to the world as if we’re throwing our life away. But the Lord tells us that it is only as we lose our lives in Him that we find true life (Matthew 10:39).
Jesus teaches us to measure our lives by losses rather than gains, by sacrifices rather than self-preservation, by time spent for others rather than time lavished upon ourselves, by love poured out rather than love poured in. It’s an eternal principle of life: God blesses those who give of their lives and resources (2 Corinthians 9:6). If we give out the truth of God’s word to others, He’ll give us more to give away. If we give of our time, and we’ll have more time to give. If we set no limit on our love, we’ll have more love for others than before.
The Proverb writer tells us, “There is one who scatters, yet increases more” (Proverbs 11:24). It’s one of the oldest paradoxes in the world, but it works. The British poet, William Wordsworth (1770-1850), also stated a great truth regarding our giving: We lose what on ourselves we spend; We have as treasure without end Whatever, Lord, to You we lend, Who givest all. The bottom line is: When we are selfish, we lose; when we give to God by helping others in need, we gain (Matthew 25:31-46).
Life is a precious gift from God. It is God who “forms the spirit of man within him” (Zechariah 12:1), and it is to God that our spirits return after death (Ecclesiastes 12:7) Consequently, it would seem that men ought to use their lives to please God. But rather than striving to “seek the Lord” (Acts 17:27), men often expend their energies in other ventures.
Some, for example, act as if their purpose in life is to gain physical wealth. And to that end, they focus all of their efforts. Those who struggle in this area should be reminded of several basic Biblical truths:
- “One’s life does not consist in the possesses” (Luke 12:15);
- Christians ought to “lay up for neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Mathew 6:20); and
- “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1Timothy 6:10)
Life’s purpose is not to amass earthly wealth.
Others act as if their purpose in life is to maintain their physical health. While it should be granted that our bodies are important to God (1 Corinthians 6:19), and that “bodily exercise profits a little” (1 Timothy 4:8), it must be remembered that at the longest, our lives are but brief (James 4:14) For this reason, we must make sure that we do not become so consumed with caring for our bodies that we lose focus upon God.
Still, others act as if the purpose of life is to experience pleasure. This, too, misses the point of our existence. Our purpose is to “Fear God and keep His commandments. For this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
By: Chad Ramsey
Author of Reason to Believe and In God’s Image
Introducing the Church of Christ
Published by Star Bible (www.Starbible.com)
The Church is God’s Benevolent Hand to the Poor Part 1 of 2
The Church of the New Testament was built by Jesus Christ; for, in Matthew 16:18 Jesus said: “…and upon this rock I will build my church…”Not only is he its founder, but also its head.
The apostle Paul stated this clearly when he wrote “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church” (Ephesians 1:22). As founder and head he is also our pattern for living as memebers of his church, “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow His steps” (1 Peter2:21). Regarding our subject in this chapter we then ask, “What example did Jesus leave as to what kind of attitude we should have toward those who are in physical need?” We should also ask, “What commands or examples has he given to his church today in the New Testament concerning benevolence?”
JESUS WAS CONCERNED
In the writing of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and which John which describe the life of Christ before he built his church, we discover him to be a person of great compassion. His greatest concern was of course with the sins and souls of the people, but while living among men he demonstrated his care and concern for the physical needs of the people as well. A good example of this was when his friend Lazarus died. When he went to the home of Mary and Martha and saw their sorrow and that of their friends the scriptures tell us, “… he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled… Jesus wept… he loved him” (John 11:33-36). There are many instances in Christ’s life which demonstrate to us that to be like Jesus or to be Christ-like we will need to be concerned about the physical welfare of others.
JESUS HAD COMPASSION
Many came to Jesus for care. Jesus was moved with compassion because of their great needs: ” But when he saw were distressed…” (Matt. 9:36). He was concerned that people were hungry: “I feel compassion for the people becuase they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat” (Mark 8:2). Jesus then provided food for the people.
JESUS TAUGHT ABOUT CARING
Not only did Jesus show his compassion for others in need but he also taught great lessons on the subject. Perhaps the best known is the story of the good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37). Jesus emphasized that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength, and the second greatest commandment is like it, to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. When a man in the crowd asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus responded with the story of the Good Samaritan. The story about a man who gave his time, energies, and money to help a stranger in need. The stranger had been beaten and robbed and was in need of medical attention, food, and a place to stay. He provided it all and as a result he received the praise of Jesu for his act of compassion. Jesus then told the man in the crowd, “Go, and do thou likewise.” Perhaps the most striking lesson that Jesus taught about our responsibility in helping others is found in the picture that he gives of the final judgment.
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
“Then the King will say to those on his Right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was stranger, and you invited Me in; Naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And When did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ (Matt. 25:46).
