April 17, 2011

Posted by admin on April 18, 2011 under Bulletin | Be the First to Comment

FEATURED ARTICLE:

“IS JESUS MY LORD?” by David Cox

In Acts 2, on the day of Pentecost, Peter concluded his sermon by proclaiming that “God hath made this same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (v. 36). All who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ surely must admit that He is Lord! The Jews who gathered at Jerusalem on that occasion believed that Jesus was Lord and became followers of Him. But what does it mean to say “Jesus is Lord!”

First, the word “Lord” means “master, sovereign.” The word then carries the idea of ruling with power and authority (Matthew 28:18). God demonstrated this power by fulfilling the prophecy of David in Psalm 16. God did not leave Jesus in hell or the hadean realm, but raised him up to sit on the throne of David (Acts 2:27-30). Therefore, Christ is Lord, sitting on the throne and ruling over His kingdom. So today, when people profess that Jesus is Lord, they are proclaiming that Jesus is on the throne, ruling and they are subject to His rule and authority. And, whether men profess this or not does not change the fact that Jesus is Lord.

The obvious question now is, “If followers of Christ claim Jesus as Lord, then why are there so many different beliefs among His followers?” The fact

is there should not be. Jesus once asked, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). The point Jesus was making is that to be a follower of His means more than just calling Him Lord. In order to serve Jesus acceptably as your Lord means doing what he says (Luke 6:47; cf. Matthew 6:21-23). Recognizing Jesus as Lord, we must give our lives wholeheartedly to Him, presenting ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice, and doing the things He has said.

Looking back to Acts 2, we see these Jews that Peter had convinced that Jesus is Lord and Christ, asked the question “what shall we do?” They understood that since Jesus was Lord they must submit to His will to be pleasing to God. Serving God as a Jew was no longer acceptable. It could not be that they were going the same way, but just on different roads. Why? Because Jesus is the Lord and the only way to be pleasing to God is to do His will. Now, each one of us must asked ourselves the question, “Is Jesus My Lord?” The answer will be determined by what you and I do, just as it was in Acts 2. Let us all determine that we will confess Jesus as Lord and follow Him in His example and obey Him in all things.  

April 03, 2011

Posted by admin on under Bulletin | Be the First to Comment

FEATURED ARTICLE

“CAREFUL TO ANSWER” – by Rober Turner

When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were called before the king and faced charges of refusing to worship the golden image he had erected, Nebuchadnezzar asked, “Who is that god that shall deliver you out of my hands?” Things looked pretty dark.

But they replied, “We have no need to answer thee in this matter” (AS). The King James version reads, “We are not careful to answer thee in this matter” (Dan. 3:15-16). The thought seems to be, we will not choose our words carefully — concerned lest we offend; we will not try to “talk our way out of” this situation. And they added, “Our God is able to deliver us” (if it suits His purposes to do so) “but if not, be it known unto thee, 0 king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Several years back a preacher said John (the Immerser) “lost his head” because he “lost his head” — he was not tactful in his criticism of Herod. John had said, of Herod’s marriage to his brother Philip’s wife, “It is not lawful for thee to haveher” (Matt. 14:3-5).

John was not “careful to answer,” someone might say. Well, he certainly was not trying to “butter up” the king. On the other hand, John and the captive Jews of Daniel 3, were very careful to maintain their faith in God and to court His approval. John lost his head, and the three Hebrews were thrown into the fiery furnace, but each gained more than he lost. We “have no need” for any man’s approval as we have need for God’s approval.

Jesus said, “Fear ‘not those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell” (Matt. 10:28).

We are not advocating crudeness! Daniel’s brethren were respectful to the king; and love for souls will forbid our becoming a bully with the truth. Shouting, stomping pronouncements of Damnation are often signs of weakness, while genuine strength is accompanied by humility. But genuine strength speaks truthfully, directly and clearly, regardless of temporal consequences — and because of inevitable eternal consequences.

— Robert Turner