The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
March 20, 2005
In
This Issue:
Deflected
Scriptures and Ricochet Sermons
by
Steve Klein
Are
You Ready?
by
Allan McNabb
Tearing
Down and Building Up
by
Larry Ray Hafley
Deflected Scriptures and Ricochet Sermons
At the end of a sermon, how often have you said out loud or to yourself, "There are a lot of people here who could use that sermon." Or, "I hope brother _______ was paying attention to that." Or, "I wish sister ________ had been here to hear that lesson." For most of us, it's easy to see how the Scriptures apply to others, but it's not as easy to understand how they apply to us as individuals. This was one of the main shortcomings of the Pharisees. Jesus said of them, "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers" (Matthew 23:4).
I've heard old time preachers talk about preaching ricochet sermons. They would preach a lesson aimed at convicting a particular individual, only to have that individual remain entirely unaffected, but someone else in the congregation would holler and complain about how that sermon had been aimed right at them. Apparently, the lesson bounced off one person and hit someone else! A ricochet sermon!
A bullet won't ricochet off butter. It has to hit something hard. That's true of God's word too. When hearts and minds are hard, even God's word cannot penetrate. The person who rejects and deflects the Scriptures will not be changed by them and cannot be helped by them. The seed that falls on the hard wayside soil can't penetrate, so it doesn't germinate, and never has a chance to bear fruit (cf. Matthew 13:18-19). In those whose hardened hearts deflect God's word, "the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them. (Matthew 13:14-15).
My friend, the truth of God's word is for you. It applies to you. It will help you. Receive it and examine yourself to see how. "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion" (Hebrews 3:15).
-- Steve Klein
When talking about our military, we speak of the state of readiness. Christians also must remain in a state of readiness. We must be ready for Christ's return and to stand before Him in judgment.
A few days before being crucified, Jesus taught His disciples about being ready. Jesus' teachings in Matthew 24:36-25:46 were specifically spoken concerning the end (24:6, 13, 14) from which we learn:
No one knows the day or hour (Matt. 24:36-44). Jesus illustrates this fact with Noah. Up to the day of the flood, people continued eating, drinking, and marrying. They did not know the day or hour of the flood just as we do not know the day or hour that Christ will be revealed. Nor do we know that day or hour that we will pass from this life. So Jesus said: "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him" (Matt. 24:44).
There are faithful servants and evil servants (Matt. 24:45-51). God is man's Creator. Therefore each man is God's servant. But there are two types of servants - faithful and evil. The Lord looks down upon His servants and finds the faithful servant doing His will while the evil servant is disobedient to His will. The faithful servants are ready for their Master's return while the evil servant is not ready. The faithful servant will be rewarded at his Master's coming but the evil servant will be punished.
A faithful servant is wise and therefore ready (Matt. 25:1-13). Jesus told His disciples a parable about the kingdom of heaven. He said that the kingdom of heaven was likened to ten virgins. Five of the virgins were foolish and five of the virgins were wise. The five wise virgins were ready for the bridegroom and entered into the wedding. But the five foolish virgins were not ready for the bridegroom and did not enter the wedding. Then Jesus said: "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Matt. 25:13).
A wise and faithful servant is working to the best of his ability (Matt. 25:14-30). After the parable of the ten virgins, Jesus told His disciples another parable. He said that the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling into a far country who called his servants and gave them talents (i.e., money). One received five talents, one received two talents, and the last received one talent. After a long time, the Lord came back and settled accounts with his servants. The servants with five and two talents doubled their lord's money, but the last servant did nothing with his lord's talent. The profitable servants were rewarded and the unprofitable servant was cast into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
A wise and faithful servant is ready for judgment
(Matt. 25:31-46).
Jesus ends His discourse emphasizing the judgments of
which He has already taught. The unprofitable servants will go into
everlasting punishment, but the profitable servants will go into
eternal life.
Let's ask ourselves these questions: Am I a faithful servant or an evil servant? Am I wise and therefore ready for Christ's return? Am I working to the very best of my ability? Am I ready for judgment?
-- By Allan McNabb
"See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant" (Jer. 1:10).
There is so much religious confusion and division that one could spend every moment in opposition to false systems, fraudulent schemes, and bogus brethren. However, in the fray for the faith, stress must also be placed on positive affirmation of truth and righteousness.
When the pioneers crossed our country in the nineteenth century, they necessarily employed long hours in "pulling down and rooting up." But suppose that is all they did. What, then? The area between the Mississippi and the Pacific would be nothing more than a leveled wasteland. But with the clearing there was also sowing and building, and a nation became an empire "from sea to shining sea."
Likewise, if Christians and churches of Christ are to grow, they will cast down human reasonings and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God (2 Cor. 10:3-5). However, spiritual Israel must also plant and reap midst the din of destruction. As in the days of Nehemiah, so must it be now:
"And it came to pass that from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows...and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. They which builded on the wall, and they that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded" (Neh. 4:16-18).
Yes, let us declare war on the encroachments of error that they may wither before King Jesus. Then, with all zeal, in faith and love, let us build summits of strength, fortresses of faith, and towers of truth on the plains of the paradise of God.
-- Larry Ray Hafley