The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
October 21, 2001
In
This Issue:
"Baloney
or Roast Beef?"
By
Tim Johnson
"BALONEY" or ROAST BEEF?
The congregation here at New Georgia just completed another gospel meeting. But was that all it was? Were we not subjected to a spiritual feast of the Word of God? Capable men in Brothers Steve Klein, Warren Glass, Jr., Phillip Owens, and Ed Harrell fed each of us spiritual food from God's Word. Steve said at the outset of the meeting that we were having "baloney" first, then "roast beef". Brethren, if there is a comparison to the spiritual feast we just engaged in, each and every lesson was the very best in filet mignon, prime rib, New York strip, king crab, veal cutlet, and any other delicacy you may think of. There wasn't any "baloney" about it. Nor was there just plain roast beef.
On Sunday morning, Bro. Steve Klein began the gospel meeting by presenting a lesson on How To Build Your Dream Home. This was the beginning of a series of Sunday morning lessons he plans to bring on this subject. Why study Home Building? (1) Our eternal destinies are at stake. If we violate God's commands for the home, we sin and will stand condemned before God in judgment (II Thes. 1:7-9). (2) Home is the center of life. The same word, "tevek", translated "midst" in Gen 3:3, speaking of the tree in the midst of the garden is translated "home" in Deut. 21:12. Our lives revolve around the home. (3) Homes are under attack and are failing. Today among the world, we see homosexual marriages, single parent homes, unwed mothers, and many other abuses of the home. Eph. 5:11 instructs us to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." Psalms 127:1 tells us that "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it." (4) Christians desire dream homes. Jesus said in Matt. 7:24-27 that if our home is not built properly, upon a rock, it will fall. What better place for us to begin a gospel meeting than concentrating our efforts on improving our relationships in the home.
On Sunday evening, Steve directed us in a study of those Of Whom The World Was Not Worthy. Heb. 11: 25-38 speaks of those people who "were tortured, not accepting deliverance&ldots;had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented - of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. These people lost their lives for speaking God's truth. Jesus' disciples are to have such a commitment. Discipleship requires forfeiting one's own life for the cause of Christ. Various passages speak of the disciple of Christ hating his own life, denying himself and taking up his cross daily. Paul speaks of dieing daily for Christ in I Cor. 15:31. Jesus Himself was the perfect example of such a commitment as shown in Phil. 2:7-8 which speaks of Jesus emptying Himself and laying down His life. Stephen, also, is another example of one who had such a commitment to serving the Lord. He, too, "got in trouble" for speaking God's Word, The Truth. He did this knowing that those he was speaking to were the very ones who had murdered Jesus. Because of such courage, the world was not worthy of Stephen. How do we compare to Stephen? Are we afraid to speak of Christ because we are afraid we may offend someone, or lose a friend? Steve ended this fine lesson with the admonition given in II Tim. 1:8: "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord&ldots;"
On Monday evening, Bro. Warren Glass Jr. presented a lesson on A Way That Seemeth Right, based upon the passage in Prov. 14:12 which says, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." In his lesson, Bro. Glass presented various reasons why man thinks a way is right. (1) It appeals to our pride. Naaman, in II Kings 5:9-13, was enraged at the commandment of Elisha, the prophet, because of his pride. Diotrophes, in III John 9,10, loved to have the preeminence because of his pride. (2) It appeals to our "superior" intellect - human wisdom (Col. 2:8-10). (3) It appeals to our sensual, fleshly nature. (4) It appeals to our emotions - it just feels like the right thing to do. The end of this way which seems right is the way of death because: (1) it leads to a rejection of God's Word as the absolute authority (John 12:48; II Tim. 3:16-17); (2) it leads to religious confusion and division (John 17:20-21; Eph. 4:4-6; 5:17) (3) it leads to spiritual and moral decay (I Cor. 6:9-11; Phil. 4:8; Mt. 19:1-9).
On Tuesday evening, Bro. Phillip Owens presented a lesson on The Kingdom Of Christ. As in an earthly kingdom, the kingdom of Christ is made up of four components: (1) there is a king - Jesus (Lk. 1:30-33); (2) there are citizens - Christians, the church (Mt. 16:18); (3) there is a law - the New Testament, the Gospel (Heb. 10:9-10); and, (4) there is a geographical area over which the king has authority - all nations, the world (Mt. 28:18-20). Phillip pointed out from the scriptures that the kingdom of Christ was prophesied (II Sam. 7:11-13; Zech. 6:12; Is. 2:2-4) and it is a spiritual kingdom (Lk. 17:20-21; Jn. 18:36). Phillip also detailed from the scriptures how the citizens of the kingdom of Christ may be identified. From Matt. 5:1-12 we see that a kingdom citizen will (1) be poor in spirit - realizing "I need God"; (2) mourn - sorrow over sins (II Cor. 7:10); (3) be meek - mild, gentle, submissive, the opposite of self-assertiveness; (4) hunger and thirst after righteousness - show an intense desire that must be satisfied, seek God first (Mt. 6:33); (5) be pure in heart - uncontaminated in thought, purpose and will, genuine; (6) be peacemakers - solving problems God's way; (7) be willing to be persecuted for righteousness sake - willing to be done wrong because of doing right. Are you a citizen of the kingdom of Christ? If so, can you be identified by these characteristics?
In our final lesson on Wednesday evening, Bro. Ed Bragwell led us in a study of Who Are We? At the outset of his lesson, he pointed out that we must remember who we are lest we become discouraged and give up during difficult times. In I Pet. 2:3-10, we see that we are God's chosen special people (v. 9), living stones in the house of God (V. 4-5), a royal priesthood (v. 9), purchased of Him (Acts 20:28), God's light (v.9), and God's heirs (I Pet. 1:3-4). When we realize who we are, how can we give up and quit? However, we are not to let this "go to our head". We must realize that we are not self-made, but God-made. We are what we are because of God's mercy. We once were a nobody (v. 10), but now are God's workmanship (Eph. 2:8-10).
So, there you have it - a spiritual feast from the Word of God. That was no "Baloney", was it? And certainly, it was no Roast Beef. It was the finest in spiritual food that could be offered because it is the Word of God. Let each of us determine to allow this spiritual food to fortify and strengthen our souls so that we may live more righteous lives before God. In turn, let us feed this spiritual food to others through teaching so that their souls may be strengthened as well. Thanks be to God for allowing us to participate in this spiritual feast.
by Tim Johnson