Category: Subject Index
Study Material Categorized by Subject
FB: State of Your Life
This evening the President is set to deliver his final state of the union address to the combined houses of Congress, and the American people.
It is appropriate from time to time to take stock of where we are as a nation, to set goals, to correct mistakes, and to resolve to do better in the future.
It seems equally appropriate that we do the same with our individual lives. Paul wrote, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
So, how about it? What is the state of your life? What spiritual goals do you have? What mistakes do you need to correct? What are your specific resolutions as you seek to live “soberly, righteously and godly in the present age”? (cf. Titus 2:12).
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Sermon: Derailed While Young
There are many pitfalls that may befall a young person who is not sufficiently spiritually minded. The sermon considers 10 such dangers.
Sermon: The Capabilities of God
Daniel 3 is an arresting example of God’s capabilities to protect and reward those who are His. He has the power, and the mercy to be faithful in His promises to us.
From the Preacher’s Pen: Conformation, not Vindication
“These were more fair- minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).
The Bereans were fair-minded. Why? It is because they had the right attitude toward the Scriptures. For us to emulate their example, we must as well.
First, realize that the truth is the truth. That is, it is revealed, absolute and unchanging. While men’s perceptions may vacillate, the truth remains inviolate.
Our approach to truth should be a desire for conformity. We do not go to the Scriptures to rationalize and validate our settled practice or teaching. We use the Scriptures as a standard to which we compare our practice and teaching. If we find the two to be identical, we are vindicated; if we do not, we must change our practice or teaching.
We make a mistake if we go to the Scriptures with settled convictions regarding our practice or teaching. If that is so, and the two do not agree, our tendency will be to twist the Scriptures to our practice rather than to conform our practice to the Scriptures.
The question must be, what do the Scriptures teach? We then compare our own practice and teaching to the light of that divine standard, with the purpose of conforming our practice and teaching to it.
The Patternists: Contending for the Truth
Recent forays into blog and Facebook comments have again uncovered the idea that those who have the audacity to point out religious error are uncharitable, un-Christian, stubborn, and bizarre.
Some comments come from people who ridicule the concept of divine inspiration and the veracity of the Bible. Too often, however, those who show such animosity toward a defense of truth are themselves claimed followers of Christ.
To the former we confess no surprise. The idea of contending over a book which is the product of men is nonsensical, and we understand their disdain.
To the latter we defend ourselves with the following words from the pen of Jude:
“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (verse 3).
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FB: Resting Fully in Grace
“Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy'” (1 Peter 1:13-16).
People today have peculiar ideas about the grace we receive from God through Jesus. Never in scripture does the concept of grace bring with it the idea we are not obligated to obey God. Paul condemns the idea (cf. Romans 6:1). Paul also told Titus that grace teaches us to live soberly and righteously (cf. Titus 2:11-12).
Peter, in the text above says the same. Trusting in God’s grace is here illustrated as sober and holy living. As seen in the phrase, “gird up the loins of your mind” it takes diligent and concerted effort on our part. Because of grace, we must obey!
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Invitation: Gird up the loins of your mind
Invitation delivered by: Stan Cox
1 Peter 1:13-16 teaches that we rest our hope fully on the grace of God by preparing ourselves to live righteous lives.
Sermon: One Body, One Spirit
Sermon by Jeremiah Cox.
A textual study of 1 Corinthians 12-14, expressing the purpose of spiritual gifts (edification), and discussing unity in the Spirit.
Sermon: Beer Lahai Roi
Sermon by: Jeremiah Cox
In Genesis 16, Hagar called the well where she talked with God, “Beer Lahai Roi”, asking “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
From this story we learn: 1) God sees our affliction; and, 2) God also makes Himself seen/known.
Invitation: The Help of God
Invitation delivered by: Brantley Gallman
The text of 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 contains the account of Jabez’ petition to God. It teaches us that the prayers of the righteous are heard by God, and God can and will help us.
In the News: A Lonely Death
This past week I read an interesting, but depressing article about the 2014 death of a man in New York City. The article was titled, The Lonely Death of George Bell, was published in the New York Times last October, and was written by N.R. Kleinfield.
George Bell was a hoarder. He was found in his cluttered apartment about a week after his death. The article described the events that followed that death, as government agencies sought to identify his remains, locate any family or heirs, and settle what turned out to be a fairly large estate (approximately $500,000).
Liberal & Conservative
2016 is an election year. Though the national election will not take place until November, the political season is well underway. This is especially true with regard to the office of President. When you turn on the TV, you are inundated with political punditry, and the words liberal and conservative are bandied about with regularity.
The term liberal is defined by Webster as, “not opposed to new ideas or ways of behaving that are not traditional or widely accepted.” In the context of political discourse, a liberal believes “that government should be active in supporting social and political change .”
Mining the Scriptures: Philippians 1:15-18
The gospel of Christ is God’s power of salvation (cf. Romans 1:16). When it is preached, it convicts the hearts of those who are honest and sincere. In the preaching, the message is what is important, not the messenger. That is not to say that God will not hold accountable those who preach, but are hypocrites. He will. That is not to say that when a messenger is personally unworthy of the message that it may not have a negative impact. I very well may.
However, whenever the gospel is preached it is a good thing! No matter if the motivation is impure or pure, no matter if the messenger is unworthy or worthy. Paul understood this, and rejoiced, though the preaching of the gospel may have impacted his own comfort and safety. Preaching the gospel will not save the preacher if his heart is not right, but it certainly has the ability to save the one who hears it. Praise God for His word!
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From the Preacher’s Pen: If then…
Paul wrote, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). The phrase “if then” refers back to his statement in the previous chapter, “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (2:12).
Those who have been baptized have been raised with Christ. The blessings given by God at baptism (the “remission of sins” cf. Acts 2:38), require a response on the part of those who are born again to this new life. We are to “seek those things which are above.”
The idea that man has no part to play in his own redemption is very wrong. Paul wrote, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). He also admonished the Philippians to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (2:12-13).
Have you been raised to a new life? Then you need to ask yourself whether you are doing “His good pleasure” or your own. You are now a child of God, and it is your responsibility to “seek those things which are above.”
