The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
April 24, 2005
In
This Issue:
In
the Wake of a Gospel Meeting
by
Steve Klein
Our
Mediator with God
by
S. Scott Richardson
In the Wake of a Gospel Meeting
We often focus on the preparation for a gospel meeting, perhaps without giving much consideration to the potential effects of a meeting after it is over.
I notice that Paul's work in preaching the gospel had lingering effects long after he left a given area. These effects varied from place to place, not because Paul's preaching was different from one place to the next, but because the hearts of men were. In some places, many believed and strong churches were planted. In other places, the hearts of men were turned away by Judaism, idolatry or pagan philosophy, and Paul left behind unbelievers or those who would become weak in the faith. As an example, when Paul preached in and then departed from Athens, he left behind many skeptics and unbelievers who were unaffected by his preaching, but there were a few who accepted the truth (Acts 17:32-34). In the book of Acts, virtually every time "gospel meetings" were held, saved souls and changed lives remained in the wake, but so did unbelievers, stubborn sinners and new enemies of the cross.
Our gospel meeting included some wonderful Christ-centered sermons. Last Sunday, a lesson entitled "They Had Been With Jesus" examined the characteristics possessed by those who truly know Him. A sermon on "John 10" showed us the nature of Jesus the Good Shepherd, and the conditions that we must meet if we would be His sheep. Monday night's lesson gave assurance that "You Are Complete In Him," so we need nothing else besides Him. Tuesday's sermon was a marvelous study of "A Ruler of the Synagogue Converted to Christ," and Wednesday's lesson showed us how "Jesus is the Answer" to so many important questions.
But what remains after a gospel meeting is more than just the memory of the teaching that was done. A gospel meeting should leave something positive behind in everyone's life. Certainly Breck will not likely ever forget the gospel meeting in which he gave his life to the Lord. And among the many visitors who came, who can say whether something that was said or done might linger and grow and change a life forever. But what did our gospel meeting leave behind among the many members of New Georgia that faithfully attended? Is there a greater love for Jesus? Is there more appreciation for the wonderful experience of worshiping God together and enjoying our fellowship in the like precious faith? Will it change us and make us more dedicated to our Lord, to one another, and to attending worship assemblies?
Ideally, a gospel meeting is like the great sea creature Leviathan, described in Job 41:32, who, "leaves a shining wake behind him." My prayer is that our gospel meeting has left a shining wake in your life.
-- Steve Klein
In our society, as in most, when two par-ties are at odds with one another, a third party is often called in to assist in rectifying the difficulties between the two parties. This third party is called a mediator. This word comes from mesos, middle, and eimi, to go; the term mediator then means literally "to go in the middle" or as we might more commonly say a "go-between." One of the characteristics of a mediator is that they must be respected by both parties or have things in common with both parties. This is necessary so that the mediator might more fully Understand the needs and desires of each party, and then be able to communicate them. A mediator also must "make sure" or guarantee any agreements between the parties.
Man and God are at odds with one another. This is because man sins. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." God is sinless perfection, the very definition and embodiment of righteousness. So there are two diametrically opposed forces at work -- that of righteousness and that of sin. How can man be reconciled to God? There must be a mediator, someone to bring peace between man and God. Someone to "make sure" the better, wonderful covenant of God. That mediator is Christ Jesus.
Jesus Christ is the only mediator that there could be between man and God. He is the only one who meets the qualifications. He is God (divinity). He, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are one in purpose; He has the knowledge of all that pertains to divinity. He also came to this earth. He gave himself as a sacrifice for mankind by dying on the cross, but he also gave of himself by coming to this earth and living as a man so that he would be uniquely qualified to understand the physical, spiritual, and emotional limitations of man. Paul reminded Timothy in his first letter to him in chapter 2 verse 5, "For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself a man, Christ Jesus."
We can think of Christ as the ultimate mediator. Not only is he capable of understanding the provisions of God and the needs of man, but he was willing to do whatever it took to guarantee salvation for those who would abide by God's terms. What it took was the shedding of his own blood to seal the covenant. He died for all men of every age and became their mediator of this new and better covenant or testament. Hebrews 9:15 states, "And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance."
Without a mediator man would be lost with no hope. We have a mediator who can understand. We have a mediator who guar-antees a new covenant. We have Christ Jesus -- man's hope for reconciliation, man's hope for salvation, and man's hope for eter-nal life with God in heaven.
-- By S.
Scott Richardson