Posted by David on February 17, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
Most devout Christians consider themselves to spiritually “have it together.” Even some Christians who do not claim to be devout are confident they “accurately know what it means spiritually to ‘have it together.'”
Certainly we do! If a devout Christian realized that he or she did not “have it together,” he or she would change. A devout Christian makes necessary adjustments to assure he or she “has it together.” If I know I need to make spiritual adjustments and refuse to make those adjustments, how can I be honest about being devout?
That is equally true of the Christian who is convinced, “I know what spiritually ‘having it together’ is.” His or her “knowing” depends on his or her being honest. If I know what spiritually “having it together” is, my knowledge must be founded on honesty. How can I be honest in my knowledge if I willingly cling to ignorance?
Does any devout Christian believe his or her spiritual understanding is better than God the Father’s? Or the Lord Jesus Christ’s? Or the Spirit’s? Does the Christian who is confident, “I know ‘spiritual togetherness,'” believe his or her understanding is superior to that of God the Father’s? Or the Lord Jesus Christ’s? Or the Spirit’s?
A challenge: (1) observantly scan through the gospels. (2) Note the person and the occasion each time Jesus forgave someone of his or her sins. (3) Ask yourself this question: “Do I forgive the same kind of person in similar situations?” (4) Give yourself an honest answer.
Are God the Father, Jesus Christ the Lord, and the Spirit more forgiving than I am? More compassionate? More merciful? More grace oriented? More encouraging? More hope centered? More reassuring? More willing to allow those who stumble to begin again?
Who has the best understanding of “having it together” spiritually? The Lord who died for me? The Father Who resurrected His son from the tomb? The Spirit who transforms human groans into prayers uttered in God’s language? Or me?
On matters of eternal generosity, who is the most generous? God or me?
Posted by David on February 10, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
Few weeks pass that I am not frequently reminded of life’s complexity. In new ways, experiences reveal that decisions are rarely as simple as we declare them to be. Last week, including last Sunday, was filled with such reminders. Along with my typical responsibilities I was involved in two funeral services. Much of my week was involved in encouraging people to find life and mature in living. Some of my week was involved in encouraging people to accept and cope with the death of someone they loved.
Living for God is not simple. Placing God in charge of death is not simple. God through Christ wants us to understand the best preparation for death is found in allowing Him to teach us how to live. However, understanding the “how” is never simple.
Deep concerns abound! For some, it is rearing their children. For some, it is bringing stability to marriage. For some, it is providing economically for dependents. For some, it is personal, spiritual development. For some, it is recovering from personal tragedy. For some, it is enduring a significant personal failure. For some, it is helping others find life in Christ. Each concern definitely falls inside God’s will.
Sunday evening as I enjoyed visiting with people I rarely have opportunity to be with, someone sent his friend to ask if I could baptize him. With joy I visited with and baptized Larry Schluterman into Christ. Larry has not visited with us, but he plans on being part of us. Later, a lady called to ask if I could preach her mother’s funeral. She is a friend, but has never visited with us.
As I enjoyed Sunday evening’s association, I noticed several things: the relaxed atmosphere; groups of people doing different things with each other; Christians enjoying being with each other. And I realized others of this congregation were having similar experiences elsewhere.
Thank each of you for your love for God and others. Let God mature your awareness.
Posted by David on January 27, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
People who understand God’s accomplishments in Jesus’ death and resurrection express their understanding. They express their understanding in two acts of commitment.
The first act is an individual act. He or she is baptized into Christ. This person understands who Jesus is. He or she trusts what God did in Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. He or she trusts two things:
- God’s power to forgive through Jesus’ blood [Ephesians 1:7] and
- God’s power to give life through Jesus’ resurrection [Philippians 3:10,11].
In this trust, evil’s lordship is rejected, and Jesus is enthroned as the Lord of his or her life. This believing, penitent person is baptized into Christ.
Having been baptized, this person chooses to be an active, contributing part of the community of Christians [the church]. The Lord made him or her a part of those people [Acts 2:47]. He or she wishes to be a responsible part of God’s people. Every week he or she declares commitment to Jesus Christ and God’s community of Christians.
The second act of commitment is both individual and collective. He or she assembles with a community of Christians to worship God. At the core of this worship is communion. We often refer to communion as the Lord’s Supper. This commitment basically serves three purposes.
- It remembers. It remembers God’s gift of His son, and His son’s gift of himself [1 Corinthians 11:24-25].
- It declares. It declares full faith in the return of Jesus Christ [1 Corinthians 11:26].
- It affirms. It affirms the Christian individual’s commitment to be a part of God’s people [1 Corinthians 11:29-33]. In that affirmation, it should be understood that God through Christ made all of us one in Christ [Galatians 3:26-29].
All distinctions are erased. In God’s community individual worth is determined solely by being in Christ. A Christians’ worth is not determined by social, economic, cultural, ethic, or political distinctions. Those in Jesus Christ are one–because of God’s gifts to us in Jesus Christ. Each Christian accepting God’s responsibility to be community with those in Christ affirms his or her commitment to be “one” with all who are in Christ.
Sunday our entire assembly will be devoted to communion. Communion itself will be served near the end of the assembly. We will prepare our minds and hearts for that moment.
Posted by David on January 20, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
In the joy of commitment is found the enduring results of stability. I commend to your attention a stable marriage relationship. The greater majority realize the benefits of growing up in a stable home where father and mother share a love-based commitment.
The fear of commitment generates relationship instability. Building enduring commitments requires time, sacrifice, and unending effort. A person can realize the joys of commitment but allow fear to block any attempt to build an enduring relationship.
Arkansas has this nation’s second highest divorce rate. Marital instability is of such great concern that legislators passed a covenant marriage law. Arkansas is only the third state to pass a covenant marriage law.
For a couple to form a covenant marriage, he and she must fill out documents declaring this is their choice. They first engage in premarital counseling. They agree prior to marriage they will seek counseling if serious problems or struggles occur in their marriage.
In covenant marriages, legal separation (not divorce) may occur if a spouse commits adultery; a spouse commits a felony that results in sentencing; a spouse physically or sexually abuses his or her spouse or child; the couple lives apart continuously for two years; or habitual drunkenness and accompanying cruel treatment occurs for a year.
Divorce can occur only after counseling. Divorce can be granted only for the above abuses and only after a specified time period. Spouses from covenant marriages who divorce are limited in the kinds of suits they can bring against each other.
“Sounds serious!” Marriage is serious! “What possible value can a covenant marriage provide?” Time. When the greater majority of marriages are deeply troubled, negative emotions rule. Too often, divorce suits are filed when negative emotions are in control. Rarely are couples mutually committed to receiving help. The pain of negative emotions is so great that all one or both spouses consider is escaping the relationship. Opportunity for any form of relationship healing cannot occur because there is no time.
Can divorced people receive forgiveness and be a productive part of God’s family? Yes. Jesus himself offered “living water” to a woman who was five times divorced (John 4). Will the instability created by divorce produce consequences? Yes.
An essential ingredient in stable marriages that endure: people who are willing to commit must marry people who are willing to commit.
Posted by David on January 13, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
Two considerations are essential if you are to understand my spirit in the following statements. First, I truly appreciate this truth: no one’s life is ideal. Everyone, you included, can list factually a number of legitimate frustrations that frequently are a part of your life. You can do that with no intent of being negative. You can do that merely by sharing facts truthfully. The matter I ask you to consider is not in the spirit of griping or complaining. I am merely sharing a fact that too often is hurtful to us all as a congregation.
Second, I have no desire to be self-serving. This is not a call to “please humor me.” I want us as the body of Christ, as a community of believers to encourage our congregation’s growth toward Christ’s dream for us.
The concern: it is extremely difficult to keep Christians in this body informed. That challenge certainly is not unique to this congregation. Most active groups (business, social, non-profit, or religious) struggle with the challenge of keeping its employees, supporters, members, or volunteers informed.
Within congregations, this challenge increases for many reasons. (1) Congregations are primarily volunteer associations. (2) Some within congregations make artificial separations between the “secular” and “spiritual.” Some function on this motivation: “I go to church to be religious, not to be informed or to be involved.” (3) Some have this primary attitude: “When something fails to meet my approval, I will go somewhere else.” (4) The concept of “church” is too often associated with an institution, not a whole life existence. (5) Some stay so busy with “life” they do not have time to “keep up with what is going on at church.” For those reasons (and others) some choose to be uninformed.
We make a lot of effort to inform members. Among those efforts are written announcements on the screen, family meetings, a web site, e-mailings, newsletters, mailouts, and group meetings dedicated to particular works and events. Yet, many remain poorly informed.
In some ways, we have trained and encouraged many to be uninformed. Unless we hear a verbal announcement on Sunday morning, too many do not “hear.” A congregation that is constantly growing closer to God’s ideal and Jesus’ dream is composed of members who want to be informed. They understand that God’s family of believers, from the beginning, functioned as a community who cared about each other.
Make a promise to yourself, and keep your promise to you. Do the things only you can do to be informed, not as a gossip, but a living, caring member of God’s community. The better informed each of us is, the more blessed our congregation is. We are committed to improving the sharing of information. Commit yourself to staying informed. And when you know things we need to know, please, please call us.
Posted by David on January 6, 2002 under Bulletin Articles
I personally do not know any believer in the churches of Christ (1) who does not accept the Bible as God’s word; (2) who does not accept the Bible as God’s inspired revelation; and (3) who does not accept the Bible as authority in seeking to do God’s will. I certainly trust the Bible, God’s word, as existing because God through His Spirit revealed His will for all people in the death, resurrection, and Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Do believers in churches of Christ answer some basic questions differently? Yes. Is their basis for their different answers found in a rejection of the Bible as the reliable guide to God’s will? No. Even regarding divisive questions, those disagreeing accept the Bible as an inspired revelation of God’s will. Such disagreements are primarily based on determining and understanding God’s meaning in His message.
Our assumptions create common problems as we struggle to understand God’s meaning and God’s priorities. Our assumptions complicate our surrender to God’s will. Our assumptions make it difficult to distinguish between an old tradition and a biblical principle. Our assumptions make it difficult to base convictions on faith in God instead of emotional attachments. Our assumptions justify judging other believers. Our assumptions encourage confrontation with disagreeing believers rather than understanding, encouragement, and compassion.
Because of assumptions, reactionary consciences assume a divine mandate to control and intimidate. Of course, no believer looks upon his or her assumptions as assumptions. “My” assumptions are always truth. Amazingly, believers frequently allow devotion to the “one on the cross” to produce reactions against disagreeing believers devoted to the same “one on the cross” which oppose the attitudes and behavior of the man who was “the one on the cross.” Does this remind you of the twelve’s arguments about who was the best disciple? Do you remember Jesus rejected both their question and conclusions?
Our assumptions (1) concluded unity was produced through division; (2) made the church a place instead of a people; (3) measured faithfulness by worship practices at that place for a couple of hours a week rather than the believer’s behavior 24 hours a day; and (4) concluded God was more concerned about human devotion to details than He was about believers’ expressing faith in Jesus through devotion to God’s morality.
What is our challenge before God in Christ? To learn to be God’s people 24 hours a day, 7 days a week instead of programmed members of a religious institution. Read Exodus 19:4-6; Deuteronomy 4:20 and 14:2; 1 Peter 2:9,10; and Titus 2:14 and ask yourself this question: “What has God always wanted?”
Posted by David on December 23, 2001 under Bulletin Articles
Reminders are incredibly important! At times I place a “sticky note” in a strategic place to “remind” me. I often leave things on our table at home to “remind” me. I must confess that when I sit in my recliner, if I need to do something at a specific time, it is foolish (stupid?) not to set a timer to “remind” me (yes, I unintentionally doze-well!).
December is a “reminder” month. Though no way exists to know the date of Jesus’ birth, for centuries December has been a “reminder” of God’s enormous love for us. It is more than a “reminder” of God’s love. It “reminds” us genuine love joyfully, sacrificially commits. It “reminds” us God’s love modeled the love that must live in us. It “reminds” us that we can sacrificially love others because God loves us. Please do not allow greed or self-centeredness to hide the “reminder.” Use your words, tone of voice, attitudes, emotions, body language, and kindness to let all touched by your life know your love. Love others because God loves you! Jesus proves He does!
Posted by David on December 16, 2001 under Bulletin Articles
Master Sgt. Jefferson Donald Davis of Tennessee, Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Petithory of Massachusetts, and Staff Sgt. Brian Cody Prosser of California were Army Green Berets, members of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group deployed in Afghanistan. They also were our first combat casualties from those who were deployed on Afghanistan’s soil. A 2,000 pound satellite-guided bomb from a U.S. B-52 missed its intended target and killed them. Intentional enemy fire did not kill them. Accidental friendly fire killed them.
Evil makes life on earth a disaster experience. Evil reduces people to an animal’s mentality and behavior. Before evil, people lived in God’s presence in ways not possible now. They even had conversations with God (see Genesis 3:8-11). But evil distanced people from God. When evil held complete domination in people’s minds and hearts, the intents of their hearts were totally wicked on a continuing basis (Genesis 6:5,6).
In every age people who dare to be godly do not fit in an evil world. That is a constant. It was true 3,000 years ago. It was true 2,000 years ago. It was true 1,000 years ago. It is true today. It always will be true in every age.
To dare to develop a Christian heart and behavior is to dare to be a “misfit” in an evil world. To dare to follow God is to declare war on Satan. Satan takes such declarations very seriously. Only good defeats evil [good as defined by God]. The person who dares follow God, who allows God to teach him or her to do good is Satan’s only physical threat on earth. Belonging to God makes any person Satan’s special enemy.
Satan has an incredible array of weapons to assault the person committed to godliness. The variety of his attack plans defy description. He specializes in the unexpected. He assaults our weakness. He loves the element of surprise. He intends to destroy.
He has a special means for assaulting hearts of the godly. It uses the element of surprise (or astonishment). He uses “friendly fire” to cause casualties among the righteous. He uses those devoted to God to assault those devoted to God. A godly person is devastated when assaulted by those who endorse godliness. Nothing seems so useless and unnecessary as death inflicted by friendly fire. Killing is simple. Encouraging is demanding.
Principles to remember: But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13). You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).
Posted by David on December 9, 2001 under Bulletin Articles
Bombs explode in a busy Jerusalem mall. Terrorists strike again. Israel’s Prime Minister Ariel Sharon cuts short his visit with President Bush to rush back to Israel. Immediately, America’s latest initiative to “broker” a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians is in jeopardy. Israel tensely watches the official American reaction. The Arab world tensely watches the official American reaction.
Unstable governments of some Arab allies are nervous. America never grasps Arab perspectives on the sensitivities of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Israel is nervous. How does American commitment to an Arab alliance affect America’s alliance with Israel? This nervousness could affect America’s coalition against terrorism. That would affect the war in Afghanistan. That would affect the American recession. That would impact us nationally. Whatever happens, you and I are directly affected.
Because a few people had a hatred big enough to die for, our world shakes. Because a few had such hatred, millions of people are placed in jeopardy. The hatred of a few affects the direction of our world. The hatred of a few affects the direction of our lives. Hate’s chain reaction is powerful!
Hate’s chain reaction always has been powerful. Trace the long-term impact of Cain’s hate for Abel, a hatred that motivated him to kill his brother (Genesis 4). That hatred introduced humanity to a new level of evil. That hatred was rooted in selfishness and injustice. Cain worshipped to promote Cain. Abel worshipped to honor God.
At first, Cain was angry with God, but that was an ineffective, useless anger. So the older brother focused his anger on the younger brother. “God’s reaction was Abel’s fault!” God warned Cain that sin was waiting at his heart’s door, poised to leap on him. He ignored the warning. Because he hated, he preferred murder to repentance and self-control. His hatred still impacts our world–and our lives.
Only one chain reaction is more powerful than hate’s chain reaction: love’s chain reaction. In Jesus’ death, God reacted to hate with love. God set in motion an eternal chain reaction. Only doing good defeats evil (Romans 12:21). Love reacts to evil by doing good. When we love instead of hate, God uses us in love’s chain reaction. Only faith in God strengthens us to unselfishly love rather than to selfishly hate.
Posted by David on December 2, 2001 under Bulletin Articles
There was a period when people had one job or occupational situation throughout their work years, “put in their time” in that job or career, retired, and focused their remaining years on personal interests. Many of today’s post-retirement people lived through that period and now spend their time in the semi-security of a planned retirement. For a few decades, it seemed as if this would be the common timetable for American expectations and lifestyles. What seemed a “solid” development became a mist. Yesterday’s certainties are not today’s options.
We are well served to recognize that former situation was a temporary period in ongoing American history. To younger adults who have known nothing but this opportune American situation, it seems a “forever” reality in our nation. To them, the American expectation “always” was finding a job or occupation, making “good money” with excellent benefits, staying with that job or occupation until “you put in your years,” retiring in relative security, and using life and freedom after retirement as you choose.
Those now living in retirement years know that former generations never had those options. For earlier generations, there was no “good money” to be made, no benefits to enjoy, and no secure retirement available. Life after one retired commonly was frugal, restricted, and governed by the realities of poverty.
Transition continues in our society. Change is a fact of life. For the majority, the “one job or occupation throughout one’s working years” is not an option. Today’s excellent opportunity is often tomorrow’s dead past. Anyone care to buy a mimeograph machine, a Kodak Instamatic camera, or an 8-track audio tape?
A secure retirement? In the future, what is that? When a company’s retirement fund can be “raided,” with the cost of our standard of living rapidly escalating, when a single medical procedure easily can cost tens of thousands of dollars, what is a “secure” retirement?
Every week I am reminded powerfully that the situation is changing dramatically and swiftly. Transitions effect people spiritually in their personal realities. Never has the “new wine” of God’s glorious good news in Jesus’ death and resurrection been more needed or relevant (Matthew 9:17). Those desperate for hope feel “locked in” seemingly endless struggles. Never have the hardened forms of “the old wine skins” threatened greater spiritual devastation in individual lives.
In no way should God’s gospel through Jesus be changed. As we are true to God’s gospel, Jesus challenges us to make God’s good news hope-filled and helpful to the spiritually distressed. That challenge is quite real. The need is urgent.
Over a period of forty years of study and experience, I continually developed the skills God gave me to share His Word, priorities, and message. Now people’s spiritual realities change rapidly and often dramatically. The same lesson that helps one group fails to provide meaningful help to others. Each group sincerely hungers and thirsts after righteousness. And I watch that reality, know it, and grieve because of it.
God is adequate for every existing spiritual need. So is Jesus. So is the gospel. May we have the wisdom to share with all in meaningful ways the God, Jesus, and gospel that is adequate for all forms of human spiritual need.
