Gospel meeting

In a little over a month, we will hold our spring gospel meeting. Steve Reeves, who preaches in Benton, Illinois, will come and preach a series of lessons. He will speak at all three services on Sunday, April 17th, and every following evening Monday through Friday (April. 18-22) at 7 pm. All are encouraged to attend.

Why are we having this meeting? The gospel of Jesus Christ will be proclaimed each time we meet. We have not invited Steve to come and preach his own ideas about spirituality. We expect that he will only preach the pure word of God (Rom. 1:16). He will do his best to edify the Christians here (Eph. 4:15-16). This edification is why people often refer to these meetings as revivals. By attending, Christians can expect to be revived and stirred up to good works (Titus 2:14)!

Not only will this meeting build up the saints, it will also provide opportunities for members of the community to visit. We can invite our friends and co-workers to hear the gospel (Mark 16:15). Many of our religious friends attend elsewhere and have their own recurring commitments on Sundays and Wednesdays. Meeting every night of the week will create more opportunities for them to visit.

So what can people expect when they attend Monday night through Friday night? First, we will simply welcome those who visit. They will not be “pounced” upon. Bibles will be available for those who do not have one. There will be singing, prayers and a sermon. There will not be a collection taken up as this is done on Sundays for the local church (I Cor. 16:1). 

Visitors will be greeted warmly and encouraged to listen to the message carefully. If they have any questions, they will be welcomed to ask. As Christians, we simply want to go to heaven by doing the will of the Father Please make plans to come and worship with us April 17-22.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Chuck

Eat, drink and be merry

There was an occasion when someone cried out to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me,” (Luke 12:13). Jesus used this moment to speak about the evils of covetousness (verse 15). He then told a parable about a rich man (verses 16-21). Let’s consider all of these verses to see what Christ wants us to learn.

Jesus spoke of a successful farmer. His barns were full, and he did not know what he was going to do with his entire crop. He decided to pull down his barns and build bigger ones. He was pleased with this plan and intended to congratulate himself once everything was stored: “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry,” (verse 19). God then spoke: “You fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” (verse 20). Jesus offered a conclusion: “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God,” (verse 21).

This poses several questions for modern Christians:

• Is it wrong to build up a “nest egg” or retirement fund?
• Is it wrong to enjoy life by eating, drinking and being merry?
• Is it wrong to be rich?
• Should people with earthly success feel guilty?

These questions miss the point of Christ’s teaching. The purpose of the parable was to deal with covetousness (verse 15). Having established the necessary context, let’s explore why Jesus said it was foolish to eat, drink and be merry.

Consider this – it is foolish to eat, drink and be merry when…

There is work to be done

When Jesus warned about covetousness, He made the point that one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses (verse 15). There is much work to be done, and our Lord made it clear that the laborers are few (Luke 10:2).  People often think that this means there are not enough Christians. That is true, but Christ is specifically calling for faithful followers who are willing to work – many Christian just wants to eat, drink and be merry. We must all consider what truly brings us satisfaction. Jesus wants us to enjoy doing spiritual work, not completing the work so we can rest. Think about that.

You live to eat, drink and be merry

Have you noticed how non-Christians often “live for the weekend”? They cannot wait to eat, drink and be merry. This is often why they work. In contrast, Christians should not consider their lives “great” because they get to eat, drink and be merry! Such thinking is foolishness. Christians have many important tasks at hand - resisting temptation continually, visiting the sick, comforting the sorrowful, helping the fallen, and encouraging the weak. These tasks might not be “fun” in the earthly sense, but Christians find deeper joy in these things than they do when just eating, drinking and being merry (Matt. 5:4; James 1:27; Matt. 25:41-46). 

More is not enough

Eating, drinking and being merry can create an obsession. In other words, the more one gets of these things, the more they want them. Soon, the person cannot get enough. Like a drug addiction, these people become unhappy whenever they are not spending their time in fun and frolic. People who live this way will not be able to truthfully speak as Paul did: “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content,” (Phil. 4:12).

                                                                                        Chuck

How can we know?

Last week, we received a Bible question through our website. “How do you know if you have the truth??” What a great question! To answer this, we need to turn to the Lord. Jesus stated two important facts. First, the truth has been given (John 16:13; John 14:6). Second, we can all understand the truth (John 8:32; Eph. 3:3-4). If we do not accept these facts, then we cannot know whether we have the truth.

Could someone believe that they have the truth and still be wrong? Yes. Many people think they understand the scriptures and have eternal life, but they do not (John 5:39-40). This shows that the word of God can be mishandled (II Pet. 3:16). Christians are instructed to rightly divide the word of truth (II Tim. 2:15). But the question remains – how can we know if we have the truth?

Identifying truth requires careful examination. Only those who seek will find (Matt. 7:7). We need to study the scriptures diligently (Acts 17:11) and consistently (II Cor. 15:5). Self-deception is prevalent, so we must be extremely careful (James 1:22). We must exercise humility and be willing to admit when we are wrong (Acts 18:24-26). We must also be consistent and handle all of the word of God properly, not “most” of it (I Pet. 4:11).

When determining whether someone has the truth, pay attention to how they handle scrutiny. Those with the truth must be willing to accept questions (I Pet. 3:15). Refusing to discuss what we believe should raise a red flag. Instead, those who think they have the truth should welcome questions as opportunities to confirm the truth. Over the years I have found many people who claimed to have the truth but called open discussions “wastes of time.”

Friends, we need to accept the fact that most people in the world will reject the truth. Accordingly, we should not let the small number of God’s faithful followers discourage us (Matt. 7:13-14). There is truth, and we must never stop seeking it.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Chuck

I do not know what to say

Loss and setbacks have struck several members of our congregation recently. I could not help but think of Romans 12:15, which instructs us to “weep with those that weep.”  When we hear sad news, we often feel strained because we do not know what to say. Does the word of God provide any help in this area? Yes. The account of Job and his three friends contains many lessons that will help us know what to do and what not to do when around those dealing with loss.

Allow people to grieve

When Job lost his children and then his health, the scriptures show that his friends recognized Job’s heavy grief (Job 2:13). Those who are grieving need to be allowed to do so without people pumping them full of questions. We may genuinely want to understand what is wrong and help, but there will be plenty of time for that later. As caring people, we need to remember that although we share their sorrow, it still is THEIR sorrow!

Let your silence offer comfort

In the same verse we mentioned in our last point, it also states, “…and no one spoke a word to him.”  Silence can sometimes be enough because our presence speaks volumes. If there is ever a time one to apply James 1:19 in being slow to speak, it is when you are visiting someone who has suffered a great loss. Be available for them but do not overwhelm them.

Let your emotions show

Notice what Job’s friends did when they first saw him: “And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept,” (Job 2:12). While we should not overwhelm a person with questions, we do not need to remain completely silent either. If you feel genuine pain for another’s loss, you should show that. I am not suggesting that we are uncaring if we do not have streams of tears, but we can certainly show our concern. Genuine sympathy is appreciated.

Remember that the goal is to comfort

There was a purpose to Job’s friends getting together and coming to see Job: “For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him,” (Job. 2:11).  Some people might feel it is best to ignore or avoid those who are hurting to respect their privacy. As Christians, the sorrows of our brethren are our business though.  We want to help them get through their trying times. The last thing we need to do is act childish and become bitter if feel that our kindness is not appreciated enough. If we do this, we have forgotten our primary goal of offering comfort.

Saying the wrong thing can be devastating

All three of Job’s friends eventually started to talk to Job, but what they had to say was wrong. They accused Job of bringing his calamities this on himself (Job. 4:7; 8:6-7; 11:13-15). At the end of the book, our God put those three men in their places: “My wrath is aroused against you…for you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has,” (Job. 42:7). What a waste it is to think that you are offering comfort when instead you are truly causing harm! A friend of mine who preaches said he heard someone conduct a funeral and tell the grieving family that he knew exactly how they felt because he had a dog that died. Folks, we need to think carefully about what we say to those who are full of sorrow. Saying nothing is far better than saying the wrong thing.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Chuck

Do not believe everything you read

A couple of weeks ago, I taught a lesson about the life of Saul of Tarsus (later as Paul the apostle). The study pointed out how Saul left Judaism and began preaching the gospel of Christ (Acts 26:1-11). During Paul’s missionary journeys, people were being converted to Christ and local churches were established (Acts 15:36).

Pretend that you once practiced Judaism with Saul. How would you react if you heard that he started teaching the things he previously spoke against (Acts 9:1-2)? Unless you were willing to leave Judaism yourself, you would not have much good to say about him anymore. You would likely do what you could to discredit him. After all, you would not tell people, “Saul found the truth and left us.”

In the sermon, I asked the audience to imagine what people (especially Jews) would say about Saul online if the Internet existed in the first century. People would call him a false teacher. There would be all kinds of false accusations flying around. People would claim that Paul taught things not lawful (Acts 16:21), that he attempted to profane the temple (Acts 24:6) and that he spoke against the law and Caesar (Acts 25:8).

All these accusations against Paul are not true. Too many people are quick to believe lies though, especially concerning religious matters. If all these things were circulated over the Internet, Paul would find himself saying something modern Christians often have to say – do not believe everything you read!

When you search for “the beginning of the church of Christ” online, you will read over and over that Alexander Campbell started the church. Alexander Campbell left the Baptist church and his father, Thomas Campbell, left the Presbyterian church. Obviously, both denominations will be critical of these men, so we must be mindful of what we read. Like Saul leaving the Jews to teach the gospel of Christ, no Baptist or Presbyterian will say, “Those Campbells left because they found the truth.”

When Paul left Judaism, he did not start his own church. The same is true of the Campbell’s – they were not seeking to start their own church. I am not suggesting that nobody has ever left a denomination with the intent to start their own. That has absolutely happened in the past and continues to happen today. Just like Paul though, people can leave a false group and begin following the Lord without any manmade creeds or teachings. This is what the Campbells sought.

When teachers preach the truth, people can be converted to Christ (Acts 9:19-20; 18:1-8). When this happens, local churches can be established. But whose churches are these? They must be the church that Christ built with His own blood, the church that the Lord’s people belong to (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28; Acts 2:47). Anything else is a denomination. A church only belongs to Christ if it teaches the doctrine of Christ and recognizes Him as its head (II John 9; Col. 1:18).

Over the last few hundred years, some people who attended faithful churches of Christ were called Campbellites. This label is wrong because Christians do not follow Campbell, only Christ. Sadly, this is not a new problem. Consider the example found in 1 Corinthians. Some converts called themselves after Paul (verse 12). Whether a person called themselves a “Paul-ite” or was labeled a “Paul-ite” by others, Paul clearly taught that this was wrong (verse 13). Everyone Paul converted in the first century was converted to Christ, just as Campbell’s converts were in the 1800s or modern converts are today.

With so much false information floating around online, Christians must encourage people to open their Bibles and verify claims they hear. Confusion can be cleared up! Let’s compare what we have discussed with the origins of other denominations.

In the year 1536 AD, John Calvin began the Presbyterian church. In 1607, John Smythe started the Baptist church. Did these men get back to the gospel and encourage people to simply be Christians in the Lord’s church like we read about in the New Testament? If this was their intent, something went wrong.

Were there Presbyterians before 1536 AD? Were there any Baptists prior to 1607 AD? Most importantly, where do you read of those groups in the Bible? Both denominations were started by men, meaning they are man-made religions. They taught some Biblical truth, but they also mixed in many of their own doctrines. Recall how Paul consciously avoided creating his own sect. He did this because Christ had already established His church. This why Paul called them churches of Christ (Rom. 16:16).

Could a church of Christ become a man-made church? Of course! The group’s name might be scriptural, but they could still teach man-made doctrines. Consider the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons). Joseph Smith started that group in 1830 AD. The Lord’s church was started in approximately 33 AD. Any group claiming origins after that year has a fundamental problem.

When you read the New Testament, you will find letters written to churches of our Lord. Some of these letters describe improper things the churches were doing and needed to repent of (Rev. 2-3). This shows that just having a scriptural name is not enough – your religious group must recognize that Christ has ALL the authority and that all of His doctrine must be followed (II John 9).  If your group does not have a scriptural name though, something is wrong from the start – think about it!

Chuck