Tri-Annual Singing!
June 20, 2026
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Author: Stan Cox
Minister, West Side church of Christ since August of 1989 ........ Editor of Watchman Magazine (1999-2018 Archives available online @ http://watchmanmag.com) ........ Writer, The Patternists: https://www.facebook.com/ThePatternists
Sermon: The Incarnate Word
Lesson 8 of 8 in a series on Awesome Texts.
In John 1, the apostle affirms that Jesus is the Eternal God, Who created the universe and everything in it, Who came to earth as a man, and Who became the Light of the world, declaring the Father, as the Savior of Mankind.
From the Preacher’s Pen: Aspire to an Idyllic Life!
The second chapter of the book of Acts records the activities of Christians at the dawn of the church’s existence. “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (vs. 44-47).
The text reveals an idyllic state among the people of God — one to which we today should aspire. Luke quickly begins to recount sin among the brethren (Acts 5), cultural conflicts (Acts 6) as well as persecution from without (Acts 7). But, early on there was only joy and encouragement as brethren showed hospitality toward each other, and came together in praise and worship to God.
No doubt such joy is available to Christians today. It is possible for righteous people of God to have the same mind, to endure opposition, and maintain the peace and joy that comes from our common heritage. It must be fostered and maintained, but it is possible, and it is a state God desires for his people.
If you want that joy, then do as they did in Acts 2. Assemble with the saints to worship God. Show love to your brethren through benevolence and hospitality. Thank God for the wonderful blessings you receive. Be glad for who you are, and the hope of heaven you enjoy. It is wonderful to be a child of God, and to rejoice in the hope of heaven!
Invitation: Bible 201
Invitation delivered by: Kyle Chamblee
Kyle delivered an interesting and enlightening Bible “quiz” to encourage daily Bible study.
Sermon: Humbly Accepting Truth
The text of 1 Corinthians 2 shows Paul to be a man, though educated, who placed his trust in the gospel of Christ and it alone. As he humbly proclaimed it, we are to humbly accept it. The gospel is God’s power to save.
Invitation: It Matters Because It’s True!
Invitation delivered by: Justin Carrell
People ask why the Bible matters in our modern times. The answer is, it matters because it’s true. Truth is timeless and always relevant, and God’s word is true, cf. Psalm 119:160.
Sermon: 2013 (Resolutions for the New Year)
A series of 11 spiritual resolutions to improve your Christian walk in the new year of 2013.
Sermon: The Unknown God
Lesson 7 of 8 in a series on Awesome Texts.
The Apostle Paul preaches the gospel of Christ to the Athenians on Mars Hill, explaining to them who the Unknown God truly is, and what He requires of man. (Acts 17:16-34)
Mining the Scriptures: 1 John 2:3-6
To know God is the ultimate attainment of man. The “know”-ing of our text carries with it much more than a casual acquaintance with Him. As Barnes’ states, “‘To know God as he is’ is to know and regard him as a lawgiver, a sovereign, a parent, a friend. It is to yield the whole soul to him, and strive to obey his law.”
We can know God. Such an intimate acquaintance is obtained through our obedience to His will. Conversely, as stated here by John, those who claim to know God, and do not obey Him are liars. This truth is obvious. Can a man truly claim to know God as the sovereign Creator and disregard His instructions to him? The idea is absurd.
It is only in our obedience to the will of the Lord that our love for Him is complete. There are many who claim to love Jesus, but prove themselves to be lacking in their devotion by disregarding His will.
What ought we to do? What is our obligation in light of our relationship to God and His Son? What is our response to His mercy and grace? It is, or at least it ought to be, obedience (vs. 6). We should “walk just as He walked.”
In the News: The Second Amendment
After reading this article, you might consider the title a bit misleading. It is less a discussion of the merits of the second amendment to the constitution, and more an examination of the question of authority. But, at least it piqued your interest!
You would have to have spent the last few weeks under a rock to not have gotten wind of the rather passionate current debate over the relative need for gun control. The debate has become more contentious in the aftermath of the mass shooting on December 14th at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. This shooting has led gun control advocates to call for comprehensive legislation that will greatly limit the type and numbers of firearms available to American citizens. At the other end of the spectrum, it has led others to call for the arming of teachers, principals and other law abiding citizens to combat these violent criminals.
From the Preacher’s Pen: Resolve to Do Better in 2013
A few days ago I came across the written thoughts of a young Christian who took issue with the idea of making New Year’s resolutions, at least with regard to a person’s efforts to serve his Lord.
He made some good points, emphasizing that we should resolve today and every day to serve God acceptably. This, of course, is true. I certainly would not suggest that anyone wait until January 1st before beginning an effort to serve God. (If you do that today, you would be waiting for 360 days!)
However, the first month of the year remains as good a time as any to take stock of your spiritual standing, and to determine to do better than you have in the past. With that in mind, I would encourage you to consider what you did last year in the following areas, and to contemplate what you could do to improve in 2013:
- Making prayer a habit. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
- Reading and studying God’s word (Psalm 1:1-2)
- Diligently attending worship (Hebrews 10:24-25)
- Achieving focus and zeal in worship (John 4:24)
- Expressing interest in brethren (Philippians 2:4)
- Walking with Love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
- Placing Christ first in life (Galatians 2:20)
- Sharing the faith with others (1 Peter 3:15)
- Living a transformed, holy life (Romans 12:1-2)
- Practicing benevolence (James 1:27)
- Practicing hospitality (Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9)
Surely each of us, no matter what efforts we have made in the past, can do better this next year as we seek to serve our Lord!
Invitation: The Road to Salvation
Invitation delivered by: Josh Jackson
Josh uses the Paul’s epistle to the Romans to talk about the road to salvation. He emphasizes the need for salvation, how salvation is obtained, the need to remain on the road, and how that can be done.
Invitation: The Prodigal Son
Invitation delivered by: Chad Gallman
Chad Gallman uses the parable of the Prodigal Son to emphasize both the mercy and grace of the Heavenly Father, and the necessity of a sinner to “come to himself” to receive that mercy.
Sermon: How to Excel at Life
Sermon preached by Brantley Gallman:
Guest speaker Brantley Gallman used the text of 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 to explain the type of life any human should aspire to. It is the Christian life, described by Paul as a life that is quiet, minding one’s own business, and working with one’s own hands.
Mining the Scriptures: 2 Peter 1:16-18
The apostle Peter here establishes the legitimacy of his desire to share with them the gospel message, by pointing out the veracity of the message itself. This was not mere hearsay he was repeating, not myth, but eyewitness testimony! Peter had himself witnessed the things of which he wrote.
How did Peter know that his Master was “our Lord Jesus Christ”? Among other events, he was present on the mountain when Jesus was transfigured before their very eyes (cf. Matthew 17:1-9). Peter heard with his own voice the words of the Father in heaven, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (vs. 5).
Peter was a witness of other events affirming the Lordship of Jesus. He was an eyewitness of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:5). In fact, he proclaimed to the Jews on Pentecost this very proof, “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses” (Acts 2:32).
It doesn’t matter that much of Peter’s epistle is taken up in an exposé of false teachers and scoffers rather than a retelling of the simple gospel of our Lord. He was defending the faith, and equipping his readers to make their “call and election sure” (1:10).
In the News: Foolish Predictions
As everyone knows, the ancient Mayan calendar ended on December 21, 2012, and the world did not end. Now, the Mayans were not predicting the end of the world, but that didn’t preclude a lot of foolish people predicting its demise, based on the calendar.
In fact, such foolishness has a long history. I recently came across an internet article which recounted 11 different predictions of earthly destruction (at the least), none of which came true. Here is a concise listing, with a couple of points at the end:
