Author: Stan Cox

John the Baptist was born to the priest Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth about 6 months before the birth of Jesus. His parents were faithful to God as Luke noted, “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless” (Luke 1:6). As with Jesus, great things were prophesied about John (cf. Luke 1:14-16), but we know only what Luke records about his early life. “So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel” (Luke 1:80).

John first appeared publicly as a prophet of God in Luke 3, in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign. We are told that “he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God”’” (Luke 3:3-6). His call for Israel to repent showed the purpose of his ministry to prepare Israel for the coming of the Messiah. Continue reading “John the Baptist” →

Can you imagine the moment when Zacharias’ began to prophecy? He had been mute since expressing doubt of God’s promise to bless him and Elizabeth with a child (20). Now, with the child named, God loosed his tongue giving him the ability to praise God for His blessings! (cf. 64).

The prophecy itself came after hundreds of years of silence, as Zacharias was “filled with the Holy Spirit” (67). It contained praise to God, a reminder of God’s blessings upon Israel, and an identification of John’s coming work. “And you child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways” (76). These words indicated that in John the Baptist God had fulfilled His promise given to Israel in Malachi 4:5, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” This indeed came true, as John “grew and became strong in spirit” (80) and fulfilled his purpose as the herald of the coming Christ.

The wise man of Ecclesiastes emphasized that God wishes us to enjoy our lives here on earth. “I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13).

But, consider the verse that proceeds these two, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end” (11).

Men know about God. It is interesting that despite the continued assault from atheism, modern “rationalism” and those who have made a God out of science, most people still believe in God. It is in our hearts. It is not merely tradition, culture or superstition. It is how God has made us! Consider the wise man’s conclusion: Continue reading ““Eternity in their hearts”” →

Consider the following from James’ pen, “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18).

James’ words complete a section of scripture (13-18) contrasting true wisdom with what men often consider to be wise. These are described as “wisdom [that] does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic” (15). And, “the wisdom that is from above [that] is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (17).

These words must be put into the proper context of scripture as a whole. They do not preclude a contending for truth, and an insistence that peace comes through the unity characterized by the Father and the Son. Jesus prayed, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:20-21).

What James clearly indicates is our proper inclination. It is love and peace. We are to rejoice in unity, not in division. Heavenly wisdom requires for us to be righteous. We must sow peace! Do not be bitter, do not be envious, do not seek your own. Make peace!

Barnabas serves as a most diligent example of one who edifies others.  What can we learn from him?

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A Discussion of the last verses of Luke 24, and the first 2 chapters of Acts. Texts written by Luke.

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It is interesting how often Paul would name his fellow workers in the gospel, heaping praise upon them and enjoining his readers to care for them and accept their help on Paul’s behalf. An example of this is found in Colossians 4:7-14, and giving short biographies of these men can be quite interesting and enlightening to us.

Tychicus: A frequent companion of the Apostle, Tychicus is mentioned 5 times in the New Testament. He was a Christian from Asia, and described by Paul as “a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:21). Paul sent him to Colosse with Onesimus (Colossians 4:7-9). And also Ephesus on two occasions, once during his first imprisonment, and then a second time near the end of his life, freeing Timothy to go to Rome (cf. 2 Timothy 4:9,12). We can see from these mentions just how faithful and helpful this Christian brother was to the great apostle. Continue reading “Accolades from Paul” →

Here Jesus showed his compassion to a man stricken with leprosy. Touching the unclean man, and healing him of the disease. Leprosy was and is a horrific disease, and was without a cure in Bible times. While it was often not fatal, it was contagious, progressive, and caused deformation and degeneration of the tissues of the body.

In our time, it can be treated, as it is caused by bacteria. Doctors can administer a concoction of drugs to kill the bacteria.

The contagious nature of the disease as well as the horrific symptoms is why lepers were shunned from society. And why leprosy was determined to be an uncleanness in the law of Moses (cf. Leviticus  14).

This leper could not contain his joy despite being instructed by Jesus to tell no one of the healing. It is intimated that the reason for Jesus’ desire for secrecy was that knowledge of the miracle would impede His work. This is, in fact, exactly what happened.

1 Kings 16 relates the reign of perhaps the most evil ruler in the history of Israel, Ahab. He was the son of Omri, and reigned in Samaria for 22 years. Verse 30 states, “Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.” Among the other sins he committed, married the evil woman Jezebel, the daughter of the king of Sidon (Phoenicia), and began serving and worshipping Baal. Following her influence, Ahab built a temple and altar to Baal in Samaria, and fashioned a wooden image to worship him. The historian relates, “Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him” (33).

This was also the time of Elijah, a man who was willing to stand up for God during Ahab’s reign. With God’s authority, Elijah said in Chapter 17, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word” (1). At God’s direction he hid from the bloodthirsty king as the drought commenced. Continue reading “Who Troubled Israel?” →

From time to time we need to be reminded of the importance of God’s plan for congregations. An aspect of that plan we currently do not have is an eldership. The reason for this is irrelevant to the need. We need elders because:

The word bishop (episkopos) means overseer (cf. 1 Timothy 3:1). In God’s plan those who are engaged in this work have the large responsibility of overseeing the flock among them. Without an elder, such oversight is lacking.

The word elder (presbuteros) indicates an older man (cf. 1 Peter 5:1). This accords with the qualifications. Age enables a man with sufficient wisdom and experience to  guide the flock. Young men may not make wise decisions, and are not given this position in the Lord’s house.

The word pastor (poimen) means a shepherd (cf. Acts 20:28). It is the work of feeding and protecting the sheep. These two things make up much of the elder’s work. The feeding is done through the word, and the protection is against false influences and evil efforts to damage the congregation. Paul warned the elders of the Ephesian church, “savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock…” (Acts 20:29).  Without elders, God’s flock is vulnerable.

Any congregation that is bereft of elders is vulnerable, and should have as a primary intent the appointment of qualified men.

A present issue of controversy.  My convictions regarding the issue.

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What constitutes false teaching, and how does God require we limit ourselves as preacher’s of the gospel?

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Last week while studying, in the background on the television was an old movie about the biblical characters in the book of Ruth. The  movie, “The Story of Ruth” was released in 1960, starring Elana Eden as Ruth, and Stuart Whitman as Boaz. The movie is described as an adaptation of the biblical story of Ruth, and that “The film explores themes of tolerance, acceptance, love, and faith.”

Do I suggest you watch the movie?  No, not at all. It is only a loose adaptation. Certainly not as ridiculous as the more recent Hollywood treatment of Noah, as an example, but no effort was made for “The Story of Ruth” to be an accurate representation of God’s word. Hollywood does not do a good job of following the Bible, something that should be obvious to all. Continue reading “The Real Ruth of Moab” →

John the Baptist, the son of Martha and Zacharias and cousin of Jesus, was born to his mother in her old age and heralded by his father (inspired with the Holy Spirit) as “the prophet of the Highest, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins” (Luke 1:76-77).

This ministry of John is described by Matthew here. He preached repentance as he proclaimed the coming of the Christ. He prepared “the way of the Lord.”

John was described as an austere man here and elsewhere. As he appeared on the scene from the wilderness, his clothing was rough, and his food was simple “locusts and wild honey.” He was a successful preacher, capturing the hearts of the common people in Judea. His call to repent, and to be baptized for the remission of sins in preparation for the Messiah, was heard in “Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan.”

The characteristics of love, expressed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, are outward, not inward. Less emotional, the love Paul describes is a demonstration of a charitable nature, concerned with others.

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

If you are a loving person you are longsuffering. Rather than quick to anger and judgment, you strive for patience and kindness in your interactions with others. Continue reading “Outward Expressions of Love” →