The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at New Georgia

Tim Johnson, editor

August 5, 2007

 
In This Issue:
A Time to Laugh
by Steve Klein

Christ Shall Appear the Second Time
by Carrol Sutton

 

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A Time to Laugh

      In Ecclesiastes 3:4 Solomon said that there is "a time to laugh."  As surely as there are appropriate times for grief and sorrow, there are times to laugh, to make merry and to rejoice.  Even when it comes to spiritual things, there are times when laughter is appropriate.  Here are a couple of examples of such instances:

  1. When contemplating the great things God has that done for us. Psalm 126 is a Psalm that describes the reaction of the Jews whom the Lord had delivered out of captivity.  The Psalmist says, "When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream.  Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, 'The LORD has done great things for them.'  The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad."  Note that the joy of those who were delivered was so intense that it caused there mouths to be "filled with laughter."  They were so happy and so thankful that they went beyond just wearing smiles on their faces; their grins were turned into guffaws as they laughed aloud. Also note that God was glorified "among the nations" who were not His people, in part because His people expressed their joy so effusively.

  2. When a sinner repents. In Luke 15 Jesus said that there is joy in heaven and among the angels of God "over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:7, 10).  Later in that chapter, Jesus tells the parable of the prodigal son. One of the plain points of the parable is that the prodigal son's return prompted great joy in the household of his father.  Luke 15:24 states that upon the prodigal's return "they began to be merry".  The only one who maintained a sour attitude was the envious and self-righteous older brother; his hardened spiritual condition was worse than his younger brother's had ever been.  But his father told him, "It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found" (Luke 15:32).    Now the story of the prodigal son is a parable.  Jesus is not saying that we should literally throw a party and kill the fatted calf every time a sinner repents.  But we should experience and express great joy.

  So, members of God's household should rejoice to the point of laughter over God's blessings and sinners repenting. But beyond this, God's children should have a happy outlook on life in general.  After all, we are blessed beyond measure in this life, and we have been promised eternity in paradise (Revelation 2:7).  The funny and amusing things that occur daily in this life should only increase expressions of joy and laughter.  This is good and good for us.  The Scriptures commend a merry heart and its many benefits.

  1. It does good, like medicine. The Bible says that, "A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones" (Proverbs 17:22).  In The Anatomy of an Illness: As Perceived by the Patient, Norman Cousins tells of being hospitalized with a rare, crippling disease. When he was diagnosed as incurable, Cousins checked out of the hospital. Aware of the harmful effects that negative emotions can have on the body, Cousins reasoned the reverse was true. So he borrowed a movie projector and prescribed his own treatment, consisting of Marx Brothers films and old "Candid Camera" reruns. It didn't take long for him to discover that 10 minutes of laughter provided two hours of pain-free sleep. Amazingly, his debilitating disease was eventually reversed. After the account of his victory appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, Cousins received more than 3000 letters from appreciative physicians throughout the world. (Today in the Word, Moody Bible Institute).

  2. It makes you look better. Any face is improved by painting a smile on it.  "A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance" (Proverbs 15:13).

  3. You can continually "feed off" it. Life is brighter and vital energy increased when days are filled with the smiles and laughter of a merry heart. "All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast" (Proverbs 15:15).

   There is a time to laugh.  For a righteous child of God, such a time may come often during the average day.  Which reminds me, have you heard that you might be a member of a church of rednecks if. . .

  • Members grumble about how Noah let coyotes on the Ark. 

  • The preacher asks Bubba to lead the prayer and five guys stand up.

  • The only time people lock their cars in the parking lot is during the summer and then only so other members can't leave them a bag of squash.

 -- Steve Klein

 Christ Shall Appear the Second Time

     We are living between two primary appearances of Jesus Christ. The first one is a matter of history and the second one is yet in the future. For reliable information about either of these appearances we must appeal to the inspired record. The second appearance (or coming) of Jesus Christ is mentioned (or referred to_ about 300 times in the New Testament. Although various false theories abound relative to the second coming of Christ, the Word of God reveals to us the truth. Let us consider the following:

I. THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST IS CERTAIN!

  In Acts 1:11, we learn that two men in white apparel (understood by most to be angels) said: "&ldots;This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." Peter mentions "the revelation of Jesus Christ" in I peter 1:13, and, in James 5:7, brethren are told to be patient unto "the coming of the Lord." John refers to the time "when he shall appear" (I John 3:2), and Paul says, "Four our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:20). In John 14:3, Jesus declared, "&ldots;I will come again&ldots;" Also see II Peter 3:1-14. Yes, it is certain that Jesus is coming again!

 

II. SOME FACTS ABOUT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

A. Personally!  Acts 1:11 says: "&ldots;This same Jesus, which is taken up from you shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." It will not be "another Jesus." It will not be someone else. Jesus is coming again! John said, "&ldots;but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2). In John 14:3, Jesus declared, "&ldots;I will come again&ldots;" Yes, it is certain that Jesus is personally coming again! Also read I Thess. 4:13-17.

B. Visibly! Revelation 1:7 says, "Behold, he cometh with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they that pierced Him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen." Also, read I John 3:2.

C. Audibly!  The voice of Jesus will be heard! He will speak! After mentioning the coming of Christ, the apostle Paul declared that the "Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (I Thess. 4:16-17). In John 5:28-29, Jesus said, Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth&ldots;" Yes, the voice of Jesus will be heard!

D. In Flaming Fire!  In II Thess. 1:7-9, Paul refers to the time "&ldots;when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ&ldots;" This takes place "when He shall come to be glorified in His saints&ldots;" Note: When Jesus comes, the Judgment will occur according to John 5:28-29, Matt. 25:31-46, etc. The saints will be rewarded, but the wicked will be punished! Yes, Jesus is coming in flaming fire!

Are you prepared to meet Him when He comes?

-- Carrol Sutton
Via The Instructor, Vol. 41, No. 7, July 2004