Historical Posts
Among the Truly Rich
I consider myself among the richest people in the world.
I have been richly blessed. In one sense, my possessions probably aren’t worth a great deal, but in another, they are priceless.
For instance, take my coffee cup. I’ve had the same one for twelve years now. There really isn’t anything all that remarkable about it. It is essentially a plain white mug with the words “I LOVE DAD” embossed on it – a Christmas present from my son. He was six at the time! He probably doesn’t remember giving it to me. But, every time I look at it, I see him! There’s not enough money in Marietta to buy that cup!
Then, there’s my art collection. Two sculptured works come to mind. They are neither large nor ornate. I guess one might even describe them as “primitive works.” One is a paper weight – a small green disk with my name inscribed on its surface. The other is a pencil holder about the size of an average plum. They are signed pieces. And, of course, they are each a “one of a kind.” The sculptor has moved on to bigger and better things, but these will always be among her best works. Again, there isn’t enough money in Marietta to purchase either. They are not for sale at any price! My daughter made them just for me.
By now you may be thinking, “This guy’s not rich, he’s crazy.”
But, am I? I don’t think so. I’ve got something money can’t buy – the love of two wonderful young people – two kids who have never given me a moment’s trouble. You may be thinking, “Yea, right! What are they, day old twins?” Actually, Angela and Adam are both grown adults now.
No! I’m not crazy, just rich beyond measure, and I know it!
Sadly, there are some who will never know this kind of wealth, and others who could, but have no taste for it. They are the poorest of all.
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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The Word of God is not Bound
The ball and chain pictured above is how many people view God’s Word.
Like the ball and chain, it remains near, but is not useful. They leave it on the table or on the church pew. However, this was never God’s intention!
Paul told Timothy, “…I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory (2 Timothy 2:9-10).” Even though Paul was often in chains, the Word of God has never been and is not chained!
As with Paul, it is our duty to spread the Word of God wherever we go.
Carry it with you! Keep it in the forefront of your mind. After all, it should be “very near you, in your mouth and in your heart (Deuteronomy 30:14)…”
Your words and actions are not chained!
Let others see the gospel of Christ in your life, and always teach the plan of salvation through the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16).
Salvation: Hear - Believe - Repent - Confess - Be Baptized - Live Faithfully
Content by Richard Dillon
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Our Best Friend
Jesus once said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another” (John 15:12-17).
What He said to His disciple then is just as true of us today. People can disappoint us, and we have certainly disappointed others, but Jesus will never let us down.
- He loves us, even though we are not always very loveable.
- He puts our interests ahead of His own.
- He brings out the best in us.
- He would never say or do anything to humiliate or embarrass us.
- He takes no delight in our failures, but rejoices in our successes.
- He never turns away when we turn to Him.
- He never sees us as bothersome. Our calls (prayers) never come at inconvenient times.
- He accepts us, in spite of our imperfections.
- He honors every promise. Forgets none.
- He can always be counted on.
- He is the only one who can help us with our greatest problem – SIN.
- He died for us!
The Psalmist wrote: “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” (Psalm 118:8, 9). The point is simple. People, even our closest friends, will sometimes disappoint us, but the Lord never will. We should strive to be a friend like Him!
The next time we sing “What A Friend We Have In Jesus,” I hope that song will hold even more meaning for us. No one can take His place!
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Destroying the Works of the Devil
The devil has sinned from the beginning.
Jesus spoke to the Jews and Pharisees in the temple. Not understanding God was His Father, they claimed to be children of Abraham. When Jesus contradicted this, they began to say that God was their father.
In response, Jesus said: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it (John 8:44).”
John also wrote in his first epistle, “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).”
Obviously, the works of the devil are evil. The works of Jesus Christ are good! In the end, good will triumph over evil.
Jesus did what He had to do, in order that the works of the devil would be destroyed.
- He came to the earth, tempted as we all are but did not sin (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:21-22).
- He died.
- He was buried.
- He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
His resurrection destroyed the work of death. Thus, the last enemy to be destroyed is death (1 Corinthians 15:26).
Thanks to Jesus Christ, our sins are removed!
Thanks to His resurrection, we too can live forever in Heaven with Him! Evil works will be destroyed, and as Christians we must do good works to glorify our Father in Heaven as Christ did (Matthew 5:16).
Content by Richard Dillon
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What About Drinking Alcohol?
Ten years ago it was argued that scientific studies had proven that people who take a couple of drinks a day live longer than either teetotalers or those whose intake exceeds two drinks (two shots, two beers, two glasses of wine). Naturally, this made the liquor industry very happy, and it was perceived as good news by those who sought to justify social drinking. But, were the scientists correct in their assumption? The evidence would indicate that they were not!
According to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, May 1989, by the middle of the last decade the earlier findings were beginning to be questioned. It was determined that the methods used to examine the connection between drinking habits and mortality were not sound enough to yield air-tight conclusions. In this new finding it was determined that the apparent benefits from moderate drinking were a by-product of the research methods rather than a real finding.
No one argued that heavy drinking was good for health. But an important question was left unanswered. Is teetotaling unhealthy, and could teetotalers prolong their lives by swigging a couple of beers every evening? According to a study from England, the answer is no!
From 1978-80 British investigators recruited nearly 8,000 men between the ages of 40 and 59. These men were followed for an average of 7.5 years, during which their deaths and causes of death were monitored. The study showed that moderate drinkers did not benefit from the use of alcohol!
There is no real justification for the consumption of alcoholic beverages. When will we wake up to this fact?
In recent years our society has seen the detrimental effects of smoking, and we have mounted a campaign to encourage people to stop smoking. When will we take similar steps in regard to alcohol? I’m tired of the commercials which encourage people not to drink and drive, the message ought to be, DON’T DRINK! It is impossible to measure the grief, misery, death and suffering caused by alcohol. It is a blight on society. When will we face up to this fact?
It may be too late to reach many of the older generation, but we can reach the young. They need to know that the most abused drug in America today is alcohol! Young people, drinking is not cool, it’s stupid!
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1).
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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The Love of God
The poet wrote: “Could we with ink the ocean fill; were every blade of grass a quill. Were all the world of parchment made, and every made a scribe by trade, to write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.”
Jesus said, “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16).
It is impossible to measure the extent of His love.
Perhaps no writer of the New Testament had a better grasp of God’s love than John. He simply said, “God is love” (1 John 4:16). Three times in his first epistle he sought to describe the nature of God’s love as it relates to us.
- First, he wrote: “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9).
God’s love was demonstrated in the sending of His Son. This was done, not because man loved Him, but because He loved us (1 John 4:10). - Second, he observed: “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16).
The love of God is clearly seen on the cross. It was God’s love that sent Jesus into this world. It was our sins which took Him to the cross, but it was His love for us which kept Him there. - Third, he exclaimed: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not” (1 John 3:1).
Because He loves us, He has invited us to be a part of His family. There is no greater honor in this world than to be a child of God!
There is no doubt about God’s love.
We never have to ask, “Does He love me?”
He has proven His love for us!
The important question is, “Do we love Him?“
How do you respond? Remember, Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Prosperity and Adversity
Life is full of its ups and downs.
In fact, God’s plan was to have a balance of these things. We need to realize that whether we’re prospering or suffering, God is in control. The Preacher wrote, “In the days of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider; surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find out nothing that will come after him (Ecclesiastes 7:14).”
Surely we are joyful in the day of adversity.
When things are going well, we rejoice! However, we need not forget that God gives us all the good things. Without Him, this would not be possible.
When we are in adversity, let us consider the greatness of God.
He is working all things for good (Romans 8:28). We may not understand His ways, but He is showing us He is still in control. Our faith may be tested, but if we remain faithful to Him He will take care of us.
Content by Richard Dillon
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Squeezed into the World’s Mold
My parents bought an antique butter mold at an auction several years ago. For those of you my age, or younger, I may need to point out that those molds came from an era when people made their butter rather than purchasing it from the local “IGA.” Butter was placed into the mold and pressure was applied to a plunger which forced the butter into the shape of the mold and left a decorative imprint on the top of the finished product. By using the mold, the finished product was the same each time.
The New Testament in Modern English by J. B. Phillips reads: “With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God remold your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves toward the goal of true maturity” (Romans 12:1-2).
In a sense, all of us have been placed into a mold and are being formed and shaped. We choose the mold and the mold determines the end product. Paul warns us not to let the world squeeze us into its mold. It is a terrible mistake to let society mold and shape us. The finished product will not be pleasing to God nor beneficial to man, and we will have the imprint of the devil upon us.
The challenge of New Testament Christianity is to let God mold and shape us by his word. When that happens He, and not the world, will determine how we dress, speak, and conduct our lives, and the imprint of his Son will be upon us. Paul wrote to Timothy, “…the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness’” (2 Timothy 2:19).
Are you being molded and shaped by God?
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Do You Believe God?
Many people make promises they cannot keep.
Often we hear of how someone is going to do something, but they either do not do it at all, or do it in an unexpected way. After so many times of expectations being shattered, we no longer believe them.
When God tells us something, do we believe Him?
He told Paul, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome (Acts 23:11).” As Paul journeyed from Jerusalem to Rome, he went through various difficult times.
During a dangerous voyage, many of his shipmates became afraid. However, he assured them of what the Lord told him: “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you (Acts 27:24).” He then expresses his confidence in Him: “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me (Acts 27:25).”
Paul is not the only one to have this confidence.
The Virgin Mary was told she would have a Son [Jesus], and she believed (Luke 1:30-31,45).
God promised Abraham that he would have many descendants even his old age, and he believed Him (Genesis 17:17; Romans 4:20-21) because he knew He was able to perform it.
Paul assured Timothy: “…for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day (2 Timothy 1:12).”
We often sing the aforementioned words, but do we believe God?
It will be just as He told us. We can live forever in Heaven with Him if we do His will!
Content by Richard Dillon
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The Search for Spirituality
Spirituality is a highly sought after quality, and has been throughout the ages. In the ancient city of Ephesus, sacred prostitutes served daily in the temple of Diana because it was thought that sexual union brought closer union with the gods. Mothers have thrown their babies into the crocodile infested Ganges River in the search for spirituality. In Jesus’ own day Jews washed meticulously, dressed ridiculously, and wouldn’t even eat an egg laid on the Sabbath in their quest for greater spirituality.
What is spirituality? W. E. Vine writes regarding spirituality and the spiritual man: “Things that have their origin in God, and which, therefore, are in harmony with His character…the spiritual man walks by the Spirit…and manifests the fruits of the Spirit in his life.” It is that quality of life that results from a right relationship with God. It is evidenced by such things as love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
The essence of spirituality is reflected in Paul’s prayer for the church at Philippi. He prayed that they would approve the things that are excellent, and that they would be sincere and without offense until Christ came (Philippians 1:10). That should be our goal. Spiritual men have eternal values. They follow a divine standard. They live a distinctive life.
Our for spirituality will not be complete until we learn the will of God and make it our own. That is only possible when we become careful Bible students. The Bible, understood and applied, makes for spiritual men and women. Spirituality may be a concept to define, but a spiritual person is recognizable.
Are you searching for greater spirituality?
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Water, Water Everywhere Nor Any Drop To Drink
Samuel Taylor Coleridge penned the words “water, water, everywhere nor any drop to drink” in his poem “Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner” in the early 1800s. He gives his readers a sense of abundant water that is not fit to drink. It would be terrible to come upon an abundant water supply, yet not be able to partake of any.
In contrast, we have an abundant water supply that we can partake of! Jesus told a woman of Samaria, “whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:13-14).” After hearing these words, this woman desired that living water! We too should desire everlasting life, and we can get it through Christ.
Water may be abundant, but not fit for drinking. Rather than being thirsty for physical water, we should desire the spiritual water.
Once our physical thirst is quenched, we will become thirsty again. However, by partaking of that spiritual water we shall truly be filled.
There is plenty for you, and plenty for me. “…Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17).”
Content by Richard Dillon
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Thank You!
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:15-20) “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Thank you, God, for creating a beautiful world for us. Thank you for the sun, the moon and stars which declare your glory. Thank you for the hills and mountains, the rivers and valleys, and the rolling meadows and plains. Thank you, God, for the birds that sing.
Thank you, God, for nice houses. Thank you for fine clothes and good food in abundance. Thank you for our families which make our houses homes. Thank you for parents. Thank you for mates. Thank you for children, our nation’s greatest resource. Thank you, God, for a world where we can know joy, peace, and salvation.
Thank you, God, for all the days of sunshine in our lives. There are so many! Thank you for the rainy days, too! They make us more appreciative of the good. Thank you, God, for strength when we are weak, courage when we are afraid, and hope when all around us seems hopeless. Thank you, God, for making us in your image. Thank you for loving us when we are unloving. Thank you for giving your Son, even though we are undeserving. Thank you for giving us hope beyond this realm. Thank you, God, for heaven.
This past week, as our nation celebrated “Thanksgiving Day,” help us all to be more thankful, not just in November, but every day of the year. In Jesus name, amen.
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Render To Each His Due
We live in a society in which everyone thinks they are owed something. If a person does something nice for someone, they expect a favor in return. When that doesn’t happen, they become disappointed. Jesus taught, “Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back (Luke 6:30).”
However, when a person does something nice for someone they are owed something. My eighth-grade teacher often said, “you’ll have my gratitude” for doing something that he approved of. It seemed he owed us his thanks for helping him.
Likewise, there are some to whom we owe thanks.
This past week we all enjoyed our Thanksgiving fellowship. Many people helped in so many ways: fixing the bulletin board, cooking food, bringing dishes in the building, setting up tables and chairs, decorating, and advertising the event. A big “thank you” goes out to each and everyone who had a part, whether big or small.
Paul said it best when he told the Romans: “Render therefore to all their due…honor to whom honor (Romans 13:4).”
Thank you everyone! Wonderful job!
Content by Richard Dillon
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I Think…
Solomon admonished: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Later he wrote: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).
The prophet Jeremiah confessed, “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).
On our own we are incapable of charting a course which will lead to God. We simply lack the wisdom and expertise to do it, but that doesn’t keep people from trying!
Over the years I have been involved in numerous Bible studies in which the scriptures have been consulted in answer to some question. And often, the response is, “I don’t care what the Scriptures say, I think…” It is hard for me to understand that kind of arrogant attitude, but it’s certainly not new.
You are probably familiar with the Old Testament story of Naaman. Naaman was a leper in search of a cure. His search ultimately led him to Elisha, a prophet of God in Israel. The prophet, knowing what Naaman sought, did not even bother to meet with the man. He simply sent a servant to tell Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River. The leper’s reaction was not at all surprising. The record says: “But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper” (2 Kings 5:11). However, what Naaman thought was wrong! It was only when he did what was commanded that his leprosy was cured.
What we think about homosexuality, women’s roles, acceptable worship, baptism, or any other matter is not nearly as important as what God has said about it.
Our responsibility is not to do what we think is best, but to do what God tells us in His book! What we think about a matter is irrelevant when God has addressed the subject. The next time you start to say “I think,” remember the correct response should be “the Bible says…!”
Thus, Peter admonished: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God…” (1 Peter 4:11).
If you have questions, the Bible has the answers.
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Day of Small Things
One hundred years ago faithful Christians assembled for the first time on this corner (6th and Washington Streets in Marietta, Ohio). They were compelled to move from the West Side to this spot in 1913 because of one of the worst floods in the history of the Ohio Valley. The church here traces its beginnings to a handful of brethren who came together sometime around 1884. Little could they have anticipated the extent to which those initial meetings would ultimately impact this city, our nation, and the world.
In the fifth of his eight visions Zechariah saw a golden lamp stand and the two olive trees (Zechariah 4:1-14). The trees were the two anointed ones, probably Zerubbabel and Joshua, the civil and religious heads of the community. The prophet was given assurance that the temple would be completed, and that the candlestick (oil lamp) or light of the temple would not go out. Zerubbabel, who had laid the foundation, would complete the capstone (Zechariah 4:9). This would be accomplished, not by might and power, but by the Lord (Zechariah 4:6). One should not despise the day of small things (Zechariah 4:10).
The historical background regarding the day of small things is found in Ezra 3:8-13. When the foundation of the temple was completed “All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid” (Ezra 3:11). “But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy” (Ezra 3:12). “So the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off” (Ezra 3:13).
What had appeared to some as a cause of great joy was for others a cause to weep. True, the new temple would be nothing like the old, but laying the foundation for this temple signified a rebirth of the nation and restoration of worship to God. Those who wept failed to see the big picture. Small beginnings can produce great outcomes.
Look at the trees which line the Washington Street side of our building. Each huge oak started from a single little acorn. Jesus used a similar analogy regarding the mustard seed (Matthew 13:31-32). Many of today’s huge corporations got their start in someone’s basement or garage. Many of the great educational institutions of our day had very humble beginnings.
Nearly two thousand years ago, one man, Jesus Christ, baptized by His cousin, began a ministry that ultimately changed the world. Satan thought he’d won when Christ was crucified. Little did he understand the significance of the Lord’s resurrection. One empty tomb brought hope to a lost world. One person, one event, one mistake can have profound implications. Never underestimate the significance of little things.
We have come today to celebrate the past. It would be impossible to measure the good that has been done by this congregation over its storied history. But, today is not just about the past, it is also about the future! We are committed to continuing the work of faithfully preaching the gospel both here and abroad. We are resolved to speak where the Bible speaks and to be silent where the Bible is silent. It is our aim to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. These are challenging times, and we must rise to the challenge and let our light shine for Jesus.
Thank you for being here today, and sharing in this celebration with us. To those who are traveling, may God grant you a safe journey home. As we remember our past, may we recommit to the future and unswerving loyalty to our Savior. “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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The Purpose of Snow
This past week we got to see the first snowfall of winter. This is always a special treat for me because we rarely got snow in Alabama, and it certainly did not last very long. Our first snowfall in Ohio was beautiful to look at, and was not a driving hazard. Within 24-48 hours it all melted away.
Many complain that a lot of snow causes accidents and a lot of hard work. However, there are other things that need to be considered. What is snow for?
First, snow is beautiful! One can look at its beauty and purity and know there had to be someone to make it. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse (Romans 1:20).”
Besides the spiritual reason of knowing there is a God, there is a physical reason. “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:10-11).”
Snow nourishes the earth in winter as rain nourishes it in summer. This benefits God and us!
We can teach others about snow and the God that created it. Thus, God’s word will not return to Him void by leading many to Him through Jesus Christ.
Content by Richard Dillon
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Was Jesus Really God’s Son?
The identity of Jesus Christ is of paramount importance. If he was not who he claimed to be, then Christianity was founded on a lie and is a false religion. On the other hand, if Jesus was the Son of God, then Christianity is the one true faith which leads to eternal life.
Is there sufficient evidence to enable us to know the truth? In my judgment, the evidence is overwhelming. In the Gospel of John Jesus offered compelling evidence of his Sonship (John 5:31-39).
Jesus acknowledged that he was God’s Son. But, He knew that his testimony alone was not sufficient (John 5:31). Even the law required two or more witnesses to establish a matter (Deuteronomy 19:15). Jesus, therefore, offered additional testimony.
John the Baptist proclaimed him the Son of God (John 5:33). John told his disciples concerning Jesus, “I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God” (John 1:34).
Even more convincing than the testimony of John, was the ministry of Christ. What he did in healing the sick, stilling the tempest, raising the dead and a myriad of other things gave proof to his claim of Sonship (John 5:36). Nicodemus knew the value of Christ’s miracles. They offered positive proof that Jesus came from God (John 3:2).
The Father also bore witness to Jesus’ divinity. At the baptism and again at the transfiguration the voice of God from heaven was heard to say, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; 17:5).
Finally, Jesus urged, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). The Old Testament was fulfilled in Christ. His coming was no accident. At last the promised Messiah had arrived.
No other individual has impacted life and society in the manner in which Christ changed the world. The historian Lecky, an unbeliever in revealed religion, wrote:
“The character of Jesus has not only been the highest pattern of virtue, but the strongest incentive to its practice, and has exerted so deep an influence, that it may be truly said, that the simple record of three short years of active life has done more to regenerate and to soften mankind, than all the disquisitions of philosophers and than all the exhortations of moralists” (W. E. H. Lecky, History of European Morals, ii (1869), p. 88).
How do we explain the phenomenal appeal and power of Christ? We say with the Centurion at the foot of the cross, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54).
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Cleanse Your Way
Here is a “dirty joke”: A pig wallowed in the mud.
Here is the clean version: The pig took a bath!
Baths physically cleanse us from dirt that we may either see or not see.
We go a lot of places during the day; outdoors, all over the house, and who knows where else. A nice bath or shower afterward is the perfect way to clean up.
What if we get dirty spiritually?
There are a lot of places where we can go to get dirty. The Psalmist said, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word (Psalm 119:9).”
To clean up where we’ve gone and what we’ve done, we need to pay close attention to the Word of God. Though study, we learn who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for us. He died on the cross to save us from our sins; therefore His blood was shed that our sins can be taken away. When we are baptized into Christ, we come in contact with His blood to wash away our sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16; Hebrews 10:22).
There is no joke about it; we can cleanse our way by following God’s Word!
Content by Richard Dillon
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Does God Hear Our Prayers?
The Bible confidently affirms that God hears and answers prayer.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
“The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 4:16).
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us” (1 John 5:14).
I am convinced that there is power in prayer.
But I’m also convinced that many of us use it like we use the spare tire in the trunk of our car, just in cases of emergency. It should not be that way. Prayer ought to be the pulsation of the Christian faith. It should be an expression of reverence, gratitude, and the felt presence of God. Our God is not a distant God, but an ever present Father who not only hears, but also answers the prayers of His children.
I am also convinced that many of us view prayer much the way a six year old looks at his Christmas wish list.
“Dear Santa, I’ve been a good boy. Please give me a new baseball glove, a computer, a wagon, et cetera.” Wise parents never give their children everything they want, but they do seek to provide all that is needed. There’s an old Chinese proverb which says, “Give a boy and a hog all that they want and you will have a very good hog and a very bad boy.” As youngsters, what we think we need, and what we actually need, are not the same. I suspect that it is no different as adults.
I have no doubt God hears and answers our prayers. But, His answer is not always the one we seek.
Paul prayed three times that God would remove his “thorn in the flesh.” God’s answer to Paul was “No!” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). On another occasion, Paul made four separate requests to the Father (Romans 15:30-33). When we examine what Paul sought, and how God responded, we find God saying to Paul, “No, wait a while, yes, and yes, but my way not yours.” Too often, when we don’t get what we want we think that God has not answered. It may be that He is telling us no, or not yet, or yes, but my way not yours. Remember, God knows best!
As Christians, we must keep on praying, and trust God to give the answer which is best for us!
Content by Roger Rush
Visit Roger at the 6th and Washington Street Church of Christ in Marietta OH.
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Preaching with Consistency
Faithful preachers of the gospel are charged with preaching a consistent message to those who will listen to them. With so many preachers preaching so many different things in the “religious world,” consistency is something that is sorely lacking. But, the kind of consistency that Bible challenges us to present in sermons is not so difficult to understand.
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” – 1 Timothy 4:1-2
In 1 Timothy 4, the apostle Paul issued a solemn charge to the young minister: “Preach the word.” In order to present a consistent message, it is necessary for preachers to routinely base their preaching upon the Word of God.
In Philippians 2:5, Paul wrote: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” The implication of this command is that, it is possible for us to know the mind of Christ, and if it is possible to know the mind of Christ, then it is possible to communicate His will to others.
If preaching is based solely upon the Bible, then it will be consistent. One of the hallmarks of man-made religion is inconsistency. Man-made religion tends to be inconsistent with itself and with the Bible. For example, in the case of churches which teach the doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy, this doctrine contradicts other doctrines that they teach. If it is true, that once a person is saved he can never be lost again, why do these churches also teach that one must attend worship services and do benevolent works for others? If what they teach about the impossibility of apostasy is true, then what compelling reason would anyone have to try to reform themselves and live a faithful Christian life?
Of course, the doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy also contradicts the Bible. Warnings against falling from the grace of God abound in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 10:12; Galatians 5:4; Jude 24). Not only are Christians warned against the loss of their salvation, but they are also instructed as to how they can fortify themselves against such a loss (Acts 20:32).
The Bible presents a consistent message, and it is the job of gospel preachers to convey it accurately.
Content by Russell Kline
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