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Past Articles – Messages of encouragement and information |
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12/2/01 - Worship in Truth: The Lord's Supper Passover is the commemoration of God's "passing over" the houses of the Hebrews in Egypt when He went through the land to kill the firstborn from the highest to the lowest of families. The Hebrews were to mark their door posts and lintels with blood. God would see the blood of the "pass over" lamb and pass over that house. God's instructions were specific about what the Hebrews were to do in observing this feast. Because this was in anticipation of their quick exodus from Egypt, they were not to take the usual time in preparation for their meal. For example, the lamb was roasted whole, with its entrails, and the bread was not leavened. Because of the bread's condition, this feast also became known as the feast of "unleavened bread." It was during one of these times that Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper. He took the unleavened "pass over" bread and said it was His body. He took the fruit of the vine (also unleavened, that is, not fermented - nothing leavened was to be in the home during Passover, Ex 12:15) and said it was His blood which would be shed for the forgiveness of sins. It was the blood of the new covenant (Mt 26:26-28). For some people, the elements used in the Lord's Supper do not matter. They look upon it as if it were simply a meal shared by believers. For that reason, they may substitute food items that "make more sense" to people living today. But it was not a common meal, it was a Passover meal. The elements were special, symbolic, memorial. The elements to be used mattered if they were going to observe the Lord's Passover. As we partake of the Lord's Supper today, it too is special, symbolic, memorial. Its elements also have special, symbolic, memorial meanings. If we change the elements, it is no longer the memorial Jesus established, exactly in the same way were the Jewish people to have changed the elements in the Passover - it would no longer be God's Passover meal. In order to worship in truth, it matters what elements we use in the Lord's Supper. We are not at liberty to come up with something more in keeping with today's culture. If we do, we are no longer observing the Lord's Supper. Until next time. . .
12/9/01 - Worship in Truth: The Prayers When a family sits down to a meal, it is natural for conversations to be taking place. Some of these may be fairly light, but some can be quite serious. When the church family sits down to commune with God, it is likewise natural for conversations to take place. Many of these are between family members. Some of these will be with our Father. Those conversations we call prayer. Those men of the congregation (and it is the men if we follow God's instructions, 1 Tim 2:8) who are called upon to lead us in our talking with our Father, our prayers, are privileged to represent the church family to God. Typically included in their prayers are those family members who are ill. We frequently seek God's intervention in their physical struggle. James mentioned this type of prayer (Jms 5:14,15). Less frequently we hear our government leaders carried before God (1 Tim 2:1,2). And even less frequently we hear prayers for our those who persecute us, our enemies (Mt 5:44). Borrowing from Jesus' comment concerning the Pharisees, albeit in a different context, "these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others" (Mt 23:23). Leading the congregation in prayer takes preparation. If the preacher got up to preach and just began talking about whatever came into his mind at the time, his work would not be very effective. What if the song leader glanced through the song book to choose his next song as stood before the congregation? Or the brother leading the devotional thoughts for the Lord's Supper had given no thought as to what he would say? These are important aspects of our assembly, and we have come to expect a certain degree of forethought and preparation. Should our prayers to God be any less important? Brothers, when you are called upon to lead your church family in prayer, take time to gather your thoughts. Consider the concerns of the congregation, the church as a whole, and even our national situation. Consider not only the physical struggles some are having, but also - and even more importantly - the spiritual struggles being waged by our family. Thanksgiving for God's grace, His care, His provision, even His providence in our lives is always appropriate. So too is petitioning God for forgiveness as we turn from sin. By taking some time to prepare, our worship in prayer can improve. Until next time. . .
12/16/01 - Worship in Truth: The Preaching As Paul was traveling back to Jerusalem, he stopped and spent a week with the church in Troas. The account is found in Acts 20:1-12. Through Luke's writing, we are privy to a meeting that took place on the first day of that week. During that meeting, Paul spoke to the assembled church. His was a lengthy discourse, extending not only late into the night, but until daybreak! They must have had a lot to talk about. As Paul traveled, he frequently met with the church to instruct and encourage them in their walk of faith (e.g., Acts 14:21-23). When we gather as a congregation today, we continue that pattern of instruction and encouragement through the spoken word. Preachers spend many hours each week in study, prayer, and preparation in order to be able to present God's word effectively. Their charge is the same as that given to the young preacher Timothy: Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. . . Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. (2 Tim 2:15; 4:2) Theirs is a solemn responsibility. Those men who stand in a pulpit (and it is a man's responsibility, 1 Tim 2:12) have a significant influence over those to whom they preach. Frequently, he is looked upon as "the expert" in matters of faith. He's the one who has spent and continues to spend time in the study of God's word. Unfortunately, it is from that man that so many problems have arisen over the years. Departures in faith frequently happen because the man in the pulpit no longer teaches sound doctrine. When the preacher begins spending more time with religious writers and speaking about what they have to say than with God's word, he has failed to keep his charge. When the preacher adopts an attitude towards God's word of "that was then, but this is now," he is failing to keep his charge. When preachers fail to keep their charge, those who sit at their feet suffer as a result of his failure and sin. Preachers have the obligation to preach God's word. Elders and congregations have the responsibility to see that he preaches God's truth. The souls of all those who hear the preacher lie in the balance. Until next time. . .
12/23/01 - Worship in Truth: Our Gifts
When God called for the people of Israel to build the tabernacle at Sinai, His instruction was clear: "Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution" (Ex 25:2). There was not a levy on the people that they should give a prescribed amount. Later, God instructed the people of Israel about the tithe (Lev 27:30; Num 18:24; Dt 14:22). The tithe was not as straightforward as some would like to think - some was retained by the giver, some was given for the Levites, some was given to others in need. But one thing is sure - the tithe belonged to God, regardless of how it was to be utilized. Under the New Covenant, God has not prescribed the tithe. The pattern we see in the writings of the New Testament for Christians is much more similar to that of the contribution raised for the tabernacle. For example, the contribution for the famine to strike Jerusalem: "in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send. . . " (Acts 11:29); to the saints in Galatia and at Corinth: "each of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper. . . " (1 Cor 16:2). When Paul wrote to Corinth again, he had to remind them about the gifts they had previously promised for a certain work (2 Cor 8:7-11). He then went on to speak of one's giving "as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor 9:7). Three concepts on giving come to mind from this statement: 1) planned giving as opposed to spurious or haphazard giving; 2) voluntary giving, not coerced or forced; 3) happily giving, not bah-humbug giving. The story is told of a small child given a dime and a dollar and told to contribute one or the other after telling him God's guidelines. Dad thought well of his encouragement to give, and just knew his son would give the dollar; the son gave the dime. When asked, he said he could give it more cheerfully. Perhaps too many today give what they can from the standpoint of what they can give cheerfully, rather than according to how they have been prospered by God. Our gifts and offerings to God, taken up in the Lord's Day assembly, are a statement of our faith in God. Let your statement be a great statement. Until next time. . .
12/30/01 - Worship in Truth: Praise (1) When God drowned the chariots of Pharaoh, Moses sang a song of praise among the people of Israel about God's deliverance (Ex 15). From that time on, singing praise has been a staple in the worship-diet of God's people. The Psalms are filled with admonitions to sing praises. "Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; Declare among the peoples His deeds." (Ps 9:11) "I will tell of Your name to my brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You." (Psalm 22:22) Under the Old Covenant, God called for singers from the sons of Levi, together with skilled musicians to stand in the temple and offer praises to God. (Cf., 2 Chr 29:25) In the church, we continue to sing God's praises for His mighty works, for His loving care, for His salvation. We also sing to encourage, strengthen and admonish each other. We are to "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (Col 3:16) In stressing the importance of understanding the message contained in the song, Paul wrote "I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also." (1 Cor 14:15) It matters what we sing. The very words of our songs are elements of instruction. Unlike the days of "Dick Clark's American Bandstand", "It has a nice beat" is not among the criteria we need to use to determine the worth of a song for worship. Rather, the criteria first has to do with its truthfulness. Is it accurate in what it is teaching? Is it in harmony with God's revelation in the Scriptures? We often pick songs based on how spirited and uplifting its musical score is, or how somber and reflective it may be. These criteria cannot and must not be the favored criteria. A song can be a masterpiece in composition, setting a wonderful tenor for worship, but if it's words do not reflect God's truth, it is not suitable for worship. It is not suitable to be sung by God's people. What we sing easily becomes what we believe. Let each of our songs reflect the truth of God's word. Until next time. . .
1/6/02 - Worship in Truth: Praise (2) Music is a constantly evolving medium of communication. If "The Sidewalks of New York" had been written today, it would have sounded vastly differently. Many of us remember when "the devil's music" - rock and roll - was being fought against tooth and nail in our country. Today, that very same music is styled "the oldies." Styles of music change over time. The style of a musical composition does not determine whether it is suitable for worship in and of itself. Many of the grand hymns we sing today were the radical new songs of its own generation. Time has given them dignity they didn't always enjoy. Many of the newer compositions being sung today have "funny" (odd) rhythms. These new rhythms do not mean the songs are not suitable for worship. It does mean we will need to take time to learn their new and different rhythm pattern. We are accustomed to singing four-part harmony in the church today. Such was not always the case. Chants were once all the rage. Highly orchestrated choral music was, and is still, in vogue in some circles. The simpler musical compositions reflected in four-part harmony are certainly easier for the common person to sing. The style of music in our songs has been a perennial concern among Christians. Included in our songbooks are several Stamps-Baxter compositions. Some of you may remember your parents' reactions indicating how out of place these modern songs were in worship. The music was distracting. Stamps-Baxter's song "He Bore It All" was entirely too lively, too spirited, to be sung about such a somber event as the cross of Jesus. Today, it is part of the standard repertoire in most congregations of God's people. Times change; musical styles change; musical tastes change. But one thing must never change - the message contained in the song must be in harmony with God's Word. If a song teaches error, we are learning error for we often remember the words of a song much longer than the words of the Scripture. Let us strive not to let the musical style be what determines the worth of a song. Let it's message be our guide. Until next time. . .
1/13/02 - Worship in Truth: Praise (3)
Music is a constantly evolving medium of communication. If "The Sidewalks of New York" had been written today, it would have sounded vastly differently. Many of us remember when "the devil's music" - rock and roll - was being fought against tooth and nail in our country. Today, that very same music is styled "the oldies." Styles of music change over time. The style of a musical composition does not determine whether it is suitable for worship in and of itself. Many of the grand hymns we sing today were the radical new songs of their own generation. Time has given them dignity they didn't always enjoy. Many of the newer compositions being sung today have "funny" (odd) rhythms. These new rhythms do not mean the songs are not suitable for worship. It does mean we will need to take time to learn their new and different rhythm pattern. We are accustomed to singing four-part harmony in the church today. Such was not always the case. Chants were once all the rage. Highly orchestrated choral music was, and is still, in vogue in some circles. The simpler musical compositions reflected in four-part harmony are certainly easier for the common person to sing. The style of music in our songs has been a perennial concern among Christians. Included in our songbooks are several Stamps-Baxter compositions. Some of you may remember your parents' reactions indicating how out of place these modern songs were in worship. The music was distracting. Stamps-Baxter's song "He Bore It All" was entirely too lively, too spirited, to be sung about such a somber event as the cross of Jesus. Today, it is part of the standard repertoire in most congregations of God's people. Times change; musical styles change; musical tastes change. But one thing must never change - the message contained in the song must be in harmony with God's Word. If a song teaches error, we are learning error for we often remember the words of a song much longer than the words of the Scripture. Let us strive not to let the musical style be what determines the worth of a song. Let its message be our guide. Until next time. . .
1/20/02 - Leading in Prayer (1) When the church gathers together in worship, or when we meet together at other times, there usually are times set aside for prayer. Various men of the congregation will offer prayer as a representative of the Columbus Avenue family of God. We appreciate these men and the contribution they make to our worship by leading our prayers. It is not easy to stand up in front of a group of people and fulfill such a public role. Each of those men who lead us in prayer have their own personality and their own mannerisms in offering their prayers. As we join them in prayer, it is not uncommon to be moved by their prayers. Every once in a while a person will get tongue-tangled, perhaps because of nervousness, and say something that just doesn't come out like it was intended. We recognize our human frailties, and the public role into which they are thrust. Paul reminds us that the Spirit intercedes for us when we don't know how to pray as we should. (Rom 8:26) Perhaps these moments are some of those times. Sometimes our public prayers may be more limited in their scope than they should be. Seldom in our assemblies do we fail to pray for those of our number who are ill, who are hospitalized, or shut-in. And it is good and right to remember those who are suffering physically before God. James mentioned specifically the elders offering prayer on behalf of those who are sick. (Jms 5:14,15) But there are so many other things that could be included in our public prayers. Paul urged brethren to pray for him. He asked that prayers be offered for his deliverance from those who were troubling him in his work. (Rom 15:30) He asked for the prayers that he might say what needed to be said in the right way. (Eph 6:19,20) There are workers throughout the world for whom we could be praying the same things. The struggles that Paul faced are still faced by countless brethren today, both at home and away. There are those we are personally involved with as a congregation who deserve our prayers regularly and consistently. By giving consideration to one's prayers before one rises to offer them, perhaps this area can be more prominent in our public prayers. Until next time. . .
1/27/02 - Leading in Prayer (2) What
a privilege to lead this congregation of God's people in prayer! To stand
before the throne of God and carry our concerns to the God who loves us so
much He sent Jesus to die on the cross for us. It seems strange that few of
our prayers ever address our work as Christians in carrying forth this message
of salvation. Almost
every prayer led in the assembly of the saints includes "and forgive us
our sins." Is there reason to include this in each prayer? Are our lives
so sinful that somehow between the prayer of thanksgiving for
the bread and the prayer of thanksgiving for the cup we need to
seek forgiveness again? It is good and right to confess our sins. Daniel
confessed the sins of his people (Dan 9:3-6). James tells us to confess our
sins one to another (Jms 5:16). John reminds us that if we confess our sins,
God will forgive us (1 Jn 1:9). But is there a danger that asking for
forgiveness becomes trite, something we do by rote in "every
prayer"? Paul's
prayers included petitions for the salvation of others (e.g., Rom 10:1). And
he prayed that the word of the Lord would spread rapidly (2 Thes 3:1).
Salvation comes by faith through hearing the gospel. Should our own prayers
not also include petitions for opportunities to speak the good news of Jesus
so that salvation can be theirs? Paul
asked that churches pray for him that he might speak out boldly with the
gospel (Eph 6:19). The church at Jerusalem prayed that they might speak with
all confidence (Acts 4:29). How often do we hear our prayer leaders include
petitions to God for our confidence to speak the gospel with all boldness? Prayer
can also be for our walk as saints, for our strength of faith, to do those
things that are right (E.g., Phil 1:9; Col 1:9). There are so many things that
we can and should include in our prayers. Sometimes we don't know how to pray
as we should. But sometimes we may get nervous, mentioning that which is
always mentioned, forgetting even what we've planned to say. Let us learn from
and lean on God. Until
next time. . .
Some things just don’t seem to go together. Sometimes I nearly chuckle at some of the advertising I read. The gaming industry (that’s the PC name for gambling) and the alcohol industry oftentimes have a disclaimer in their ads telling people to engage in their drinking, or their gambling, responsibly. If you are a working to make ends meet, how responsible is it to spend your hard earned money on lottery tickets, horses, dogs, or card games? Or how are you being responsible to your family when you spend your money on beer, wine or liquor? As another ad asks, "So, how high was your heating bill last year?" It does not seem that alcohol or gambling and being responsible go together well. As children of God, we are to be responsible individuals. We are responsible for how we choose to live our lives (2 Cor 6:17,18). We are responsible for the influence our lives have on others (1 Pet 3:1-7). We are responsible for how we rear our children (Eph 6:1-4). We are responsible for how we treat one another (Eph 4:31,32). We are responsible for how we treat our husband or our wife (Eph 5:33). We are even responsible for helping others overcome their sin (Gal 6:1). God holds each of us accountable for what we do in our life, whether we are Christians or not. We will give account for the deeds we have done in the body, whether good or bad (2 Cor 5:10). We will all stand before the judgment seat of God (Rom 14:10-12). We will give account to God for whether we have obeyed the gospel or not, or whether we have come to know God or not (2 Thes 1:7-9). When you look at your life, do you see yourself living a responsible life before God? Are you ready to give an accounting to God for the deeds you have done? Each day, as a part of our responsible walk with God, we ought to take time to examine our lives, to see how faithfully we are walking with God. When we find deficits or shortfalls, if we take measures to remedy them right then, they won’t have time become major obstacles to be overcome later. Until next time…
What’s your net worth today? Net worth is the dollar figure that is derived from adding up all of one’s assets (property, cash, bank accounts, and so forth) and then subtracting all of one’s debts (mortgage, credit card debt, and any other financial liabilities). The goal is to have a positive net worth – being worth more than what you owe to others. When we have a negative net worth – owe more than we own – we’re in a very poor financial shape. It takes a concerted effort to turn one’s negative net worth around, but we ought to. What’s your spiritual net worth today? Figuring one’s spiritual net worth is different from one’s financial net worth – it doesn’t really involve dollars. The question could be asked a different way: Are you an asset or a liability to the church? It depends on what these terms mean. One who is an asset to the church is an active, contributing member of the church. They recognize that the church is comprised only of servants. These folks are servants. Their outlets for service vary with their abilities and interests. For some, the only service they can render is like that of Anna, who continued in prayers and fastings (Lk 2:36,37). They are no longer able to look in on others, often being the ones looked in on. They may not even be able to meet with the church any longer, but they serve through their prayers on behalf of others. For others, their lives are filled with service – to their family, to their neighbors, to strangers, to those in need. Servants are assets to the church. One who is a liability to the church does not contribute to the work of the church. It is not that they are intentionally detracting from the church’s work, but they don’t really take any active role in the affairs of the church. Perhaps they are too busy with their own lives to be concerned about others. When called upon to serve in some capacity, they either don’t have the time, the talent or the inclination. These are the takers – they take what is given to them, what they might catch in the assembly, but seldom give in return. What’s your spiritual net worth? Are you an asset or a liability to the church? Until next time…
Servants – servants of God,
servants one to another. As God’s people, we ought always to be considering
our role as servants, and our attitude as we serve others. The following story
came via a friend of mine. It’s message is pungent, and sometimes all to
familiar in our walk as servants. “The waitress did not have
all day for the little boy to make up his mind. The other waitress had called
in sick and she had to wait on the counter as well as her assigned tables.
Finally, he asked, How much is a dish of ice cream with chocolate syrup on it?
Impatience clearly registered in her voice as she spat out her curt reply,
Fifty cents. “The small boy sat counting
the coins on the palm of his hand. Finally, he asked, How much is a dish of
ice cream without the chocolate syrup? Thirty-five
cents, she shot back at him. It took several more seconds for him to make his
decision. I’ll have the dish of ice cream without the chocolate syrup,
the small voice announced. She filled his order and he counted out
thirty-five cents to place in the intolerant hand she held toward him.
Finally, she thought, and hurried on to the other customers. “The boy sat, savoring the
ice cream, obviously enjoying a rare treat. In a little while she saw him
walking toward the door. As she went by his place at the counter, she
stretched out her arm to whisk away the empty dish and spoon. She was moving
so fast that she actually had to take two steps backward when what she saw
really registered. There on the counter was her tip. She counted the coins
slowly. There was a dime and five pennies. “She looked up quickly to try
to catch the eye of the lad, but the youngster was out of sight. She still has
the dime and five pennies to remind her that even the little people are
important and deserve far more courtesy than they often get.” Is it possible that we can be so
busy in our service on behalf of an employer – or of God – that we forget
the reason we serve “on behalf of God”? Have this attitude in you that was
also in Christ Jesus… (Phil 2:5) Until next time…
2/24/02 - Part-time Christians?
As young people graduate from high school, a number of them look toward military service. Some of them are not looking for a military career, or even a full-time job with the military. These opt for enlisting in a reserve program – serving as a part-time soldier. They train one weekend each month, and once a year, they will head out to summer camp for about two weeks. The rest of the year they are available to pursue their many other interests. Have you ever thought about the church as being like the reserves – weekend meetings and maybe a longer session once or twice a year? Sounds like what we do as a church already, doesn’t it? We meet for worship on Sundays. Gospel meetings are held for several days once or twice a year, and VBS takes up about a whole week during the summer. Sounds a lot like a part-time endeavor where the rest of the year you can pursue your many other interests. Here’s the rub… The church is not a part-time organization even though there are those who behave as if it is. If even one person in the family of God sees the church like this, it is too many. The church is the body of Christ (Col 1:18). It is a living, growing, thriving organism made up of its many members (Rom 12:4; Eph 4:11-16). It is the family of God; Christians have become the children of God (Rom 8:16; 1 Jn 3:1). It is the household of God (Eph 2:19,20). We who have been added to God’s church (Acts 2:47; 5:14) have been adopted into His family (Rom 8:15). Can you imagine a child being adopted by a wonderful couple and then living as if they are only part-time members of that family? They show up for Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays and other special occasions, like family vacations, but the rest of the year they are seldom seen or heard from. We’d be appalled if we had adopted a child with that kind of an attitude towards our family. How does God feel about those of us who behave as if we were only part-time members of His family? Until next time…
3/3/02 - Friendship with the World
Jesus was speaking to His disciples as they were headed out to the Mount of Olives after that last meal together. During His conversation, He made this observation: "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33). Which of us has not had tribulation, trouble, struggles of one kind or another? Which of us would have longed to be rescued from that tribulation if it were possible? Even better, which of us would not have preferred to avoid the tribulation all together? James, Jesus’ brother, asked the question "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?" (James 4:1) As devoted followers of Jesus, we will share in some of the conflicts that He experienced because we are living differently from the world. But according to James, another source of our troubles in this world is "me." While I cannot always do something to remove the trouble and tribulation that comes from others because I am a child of God, I can do something about quarrels and conflicts that have their origin, at least in part, from me. As James continued his little writing, he directed his readers to a greater devotion to God. He expressed the situation in terms of friendship: friendship with the world. Such a friendship has some unexpected results, aside from quarrels and conflicts. Friendship with the world makes one an enemy with God. Serious business! There is an alternative to friendship with the world – greater devotion towards God. James tells us to submit to God, to draw near God, and to cleanse our hearts (Jms 4:7,8). When we humble ourselves in the presence of God, He will exalt us (Jms 4:10). The flip side is that humbling ourselves to God will makes us enemies with the world. With whom would you rather be enemies – God, or the world? Choose friendship with God. The world is passing away. Only those things associated with God will endure. Until next time…
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