Recent Articles and Sermons
What Christ Gave the Church
We know that the church belongs to Christ, created for us that we might serve Him as He desires. He established His church, accomplishing it by dying on the cross for those who He chose through the gospel. Jesus gifted to us our salvation, as He Himself paved the way to heaven through His own resurrection from the dead. Consider Paul’s words, “‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men. (Now this, ‘He ascended’ – what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)’” (Ephesians 4:9-10).
The Holy Spirit used the word church (ekklesia), referencing God’s people, in two basic ways in scripture. The first is referred to as the universal use of the word church. It is that to which Jesus refers when He promised in Matthew 16:18, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” In this sense it refers to the relationship that each saved person has with Christ when He comes to Him in faith. “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them … And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:41,47). Simply put: every person who has been saved in the past, is saved now in the present, or will be saved before the Lord comes again, — he or she is added to His church. This references our relationship with its privileges. There is no passage of scripture than activates this universal church in any way. Continue reading “What Christ Gave the Church”
Three Needs for the Family
We have long shown that the preponderance of God’s teaching on Christian living has application to the relationships we find in the home. Not much is written or said in the Bible about the husband/wife or parent/child relationships. There are some passages, one of which we appeal to today, but understand that the teaching of Christ to love God and love your neighbor bears many truths that will help us to know how families are to treat one another.
When the Holy Spirit does reveal truth about the family relationship, three main points are seen. The husband must LOVE, the wife must SUBMIT, and the child must OBEY. Continue reading “Three Needs for the Family”
2 Timothy 2:14-19
Paul here called upon Timothy to remind the brethren of the need for steadfastness, even through persecution. He knew the blessings that would come to those who maintain their faith.
He instructed Timothy to rightly divide the “word of truth” (15). It is important to note that handling the word of God loosely will invite error, but a strong appeal to the context and proper understanding of each passage serves well the child of God.
Timothy was to stay away from discussion of religious topics that were unhealthy (but common) in his day. He called them “profane and idle babblings” (16). We note Paul’s willingness to name names in talking of these things, pointing out Hymenaeus and Philetus as men who claimed the resurrection had already happened, overthrowing the faith of some of God’s people.
Finally, verse 19 shows that God requires those who are His to “depart from iniquity.” His warning shows steadfastness is required of every child of God. We may fall if we don’t persevere!
Our Call to Repent
In Joel 2, the prophet called for Judah to repent to avoided God’s judgment. As Joel wrote, “For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; who can endure it” (2:11).
Consider this call to repent: “‘Now, therefore,’ says the LORD, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. Who knows if He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him — a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?” (Joel 2:12-14).
Lessons we learn from Joel:
- Our repentance must be complete and without reservation (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:10).
- Mere outward expressions of sorrow are not sufficient, “rend your heart and not your garments” (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:9). It is not a show to others, it arises from genuine sorrow for the sins we have committed against God.
- Repentance is what impacts God’s actions toward us. “Who knows if He will turn and relent.” Of course, as His children today, our emphasis is spiritual. Our repentance from sin ALWAYS brings forgiveness, though we might bear long with the physical consequences of our misdeeds (cf. 1 John 2:9).
Sermon: Fact Checking for the Christian
While the Christian should not have to be fact checked regarding his honesty, he should always self-examine, and also check to ensure he stands on the truth of God’s word.
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The Confession of Sin
The book of Nehemiah describes an interesting day in the lives of the remnant who returned to Jerusalem out of Babylonian captivity. The wall protecting the city had been finished, and the Jews had gathered at Jerusalem. Chapter 8 relates a reading of the law by Ezra, followed by the keeping of the Feast of Tabernacles. Chapter 9 picks up the narrative. The children assembled on the twenty-fourth day of the month and fasted “in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads” (1). These were signs of mourning as the sins of Israel weighed heavily upon the people as they woke spiritually. Verse 2 says, “Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.”
For a quarter of the day they read from God’s law. Another fourth was taken up in their confession of sin and worship to God. After half the day was over the Levites addressed the assembly, sharing the history of Israel. They emphasized God’s graciousness despite the consistent rebellion of the people which led to their demise as a sovereign nation. I would suggest a reading of the address in verses 5-38 of the chapter. Continue reading “The Confession of Sin”
The Value of Heirship
God made a covenant with Abraham, noted first in Genesis 12. This covenant included the promise of a great nation, and a land in which they would dwell. This land — Canaan — was given as an inheritance to the Israelite nation. Under that Old Covenant, the Jews were Abraham’s seed and heirs. “So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass” (Joshua 21:43-45). In fact, the very word is used to describe this gift. “These are the areas which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan” (14:1).
Things have changed with Christ. No longer is the physical Jew the heir of God’s promises. As Paul explained in his epistle to the Romans, “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God” (Romans 2:28-29). Continue reading “The Value of Heirship”
Mining the Scriptures: 1 Timothy 1:18-20
Paul ended his first chapter in his letter to Timothy with a charge to his young ward — to wage spiritual war against evil. In this charge he called for Timothy to maintain his faith and purity in conscience.
Such an admonition was necessary. Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus (1:3), and there was a need not only to edify, but to defend the truth against false teachers. This is true today as well. The work of an evangelist is not done well unless spiritual warfare is waged as soldiers in Christ’s army. Conviction and sincerity was and is needed that truth be allowed its victory against the wiles of the devil.
Paul named two men: Hymenaeus and Alexander. They had departed from the faith and were condemned. They were examples of men who had to be withstood and fought against, lest we be “children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men…” (Ephesians 4:14).
Why So Fast?
Our Lord Jesus taught us to love, and to exercise mercy and forbearance toward others. With this the writings of all the apostles agree. This is because the Holy Spirit is the author of scripture. What the men wrote agree with Jesus because the Holy Spirit and Jesus are one. This is affirmed in John 16. In this passage Jesus said of the Spirit, “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.”
In the midst of calls to love and practice patience with others, Paul wrote by inspiration in Titus 3:10-11, “Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.” We might ask, “Why does Paul encourage such fast discipline against this type of sin?”
Consider it’s nature, as described here. Division is antithetical to the unity to which Christians are called. Jesus prayed that we might all be one as He and the Father were one. A divisive man is a destructive force, thwarting the efforts for us all to be one!
The divisive man is warped. His nature has not been altered by his nominal claim to be a follower of the Lord. His actions condemn him, and if he is unwilling to change his ways, he should be refused quickly.
The divisive man infects the body of Christ. This we must not allow!
Spring 2025 Meeting with Reagan McClenny
Our Spring 2025 meeting with Reagan McClenny took place May 10-15, 2025. All lessons were audio recorded and livestreamed.
To see other sermons visit our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@WSchurchofChrist
Saturday: Underestimating God’s Grace
Sunday 1: Grace for Grace: The Reciprocal Nature of Grace in the New Testament
Sunday 2: When My Love to Christ Grows Weak
Sunday 3: An Axe-Head Worth of Grace
Monday: What God’s Grace Teaches Us About Marriage
Tuesday: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things?” God’s Grace and the Laborers in the Vineyard
Wednesday: Tune My Heart to Sing Thy Grace
Thursday: Salvation: By the Numbers
Ordinances of Divine Service
The Hebrew writer, in the first part of chapter 9, describes the implements of sacrifice and worship under the old covenant. He included in his description things like the tabernacle itself, as well as lampstand, the table, the showbread the ark of the covenant and its contents. He called them “ordinances of divine service” (1).
The point of his book is to describe the difference between the old and new, showing the superiority of Jesus and His new covenant of grace for men. That is why this chapter begins with the phrase, “Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service.”
Consider the intent of the writing. If even the old covenant had these things, and they were holy, designating worship and service to God. How much more important are the “ordinances of divine service” under the New Covenant! What are those ordinances? Consider the singing of psalms. The praying of prayers. The observance of Jesus’ sacrifice on each first day of the week when we serve His supper. Our free will offerings each Lord’s day. Consider also calls to evangelize, edify and help the poor. To care for Christian widows and the indigent. Finally consider the calls to love, to obey, to “Be holy, for I [God] am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).
We dare not neglect ordinances of divine service under the new covenant! (cf. 2:3).
Diotrephes the Prater
John’s third epistle is a personal letter to his beloved brother Gaius. There is a reason why John is known as the apostle of love. His greeting of Gaius is a wonderful example of John’s true devotion to others. “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers … I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (2,4).
Further, a good portion of his letter is a commendation of the hospitality Gaius showed to other Christians, notably those who were traveling as ministers of the gospel of our Lord. John wrote, “We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth” (8). Continue reading “Diotrephes the Prater”
Mining the Scriptures: 2 Thessalonians 3:10-15
Paul had a special admonition for those Thessalonians who had adopted an idle lifestyle, possibly because they thought their time on earth was to be ending soon. His teaching, both by example and inspiration, is that Christians have a social and familial responsibility until the Lord comes. “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (10).
So, he commanded it again here (12), as he had heard of some in the congregation who were not only idle, but their idleness was leading to sin. He called them “busybodies.”
The preparation of a Christian for eternity is seen in his obedience and positive efforts to life righteously. He is an example to the unbeliever and believer alike. Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to steadfastness, “But as for you brethren, do not grow weary in doing good” (13). This command is serious, a matter of Christian fellowship and eternal standing with God. Those who will not work are to be rejected, though our love for them is retained (15).
Sermon: The Disciple and the World
The text of 1 Peter 2:9-10 reveals that we as disciples of Christ are at odds will the world, antagonized by the flesh, and should consider ourselves as sojourners and pilgrims, as our citizenship is heavenly.
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Sermon: Proper Alliances
Our friendships and associations can be helpful or destructive, depending upon who it is that we fellowship. This is especially true spiritually.
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