Category: Subject Index

(Note: The following article is written by one of the members at West Side, Justin Carrell. I commend it to you. SC)

Matthew 19:3-9

“And the Pharisees came near to him, tempting him, and saying to him, ‘Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?’ And he answering said to them, ‘Did ye not read, that He who made them, from the beginning a male and a female made them, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and they shall be–the two–for one flesh? So that they are no more two, but one flesh; what therefore God did join together, let no man put asunder.’ They said to him, ‘Why then did Moses command to give a roll of divorce, and to put her away?’ He said to them–‘Moses for your stiffness of heart did suffer you to put away your wives, but from the beginning it hath not been so. ‘And I say to you, that, whoever may put away his wife, if not for fornication, and may marry another, doth commit adultery; and he who did marry her that hath been put away, doth commit adultery.’” (Young’s Literal Translation)

I’ve heard this scripture debated more than any other. We debate baptism with those outside the body, but this we debate without and within. Below are two arguments recently put forward to me, and my response.

Continue reading “Separating What God Has Joined” →

The greatest affliction of life is never to be afflicted.

– Unknown

Affliction is not pleasant. When we are the recipients of tribulation in this life we feel pain, sorrow and stress. We all would rather it not be our lot, “Let this cup pass from me…” (cf. Matthew 26:39). I recently came across a quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald that poignantly describes our perception of severe affliction:

In a real dark night of the soul
it is always three o’ clock in the morning, day after day.

And yet, such affliction is beneficial to the child of God. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

The apostle does not call such affliction light to minimize the pain and suffering we experience. It is light in the sense that it is temporal and fleeting. In contrast, our faithfulness through trial proves us “worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer” (2 Thessalonians 5:1). It is our lot in life to suffer. It happens to us all. The question is, will we have sufficient patience under such duress to prove us worthy of eternity?

A sermon expressing the importance of obedience to Jesus Christ.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

The sermon examines the proper attitudes toward God’s word.

Sermon Powerpoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

This sermon examines the text of Ephesians 4, which establishes a platform every Christian must accept, forming a basis for unity.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

This sermon examines the proper attitude toward the giving and receiving of admonition as Christians.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

The sermon examines some of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Christ, and their fulfillment in the New Testament.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

The sermon establishes three important truths regarding the relationshiop between temptation and sin.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

The only way, ultimately, to save your life is to live in such a way as to please God!

Sermon Powerpoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

This sermon is directed especially to young people, and indicates that as Christians we must avoid evil companions. It gives Biblical examples of those who chose foolishly (Solomon and Rehoboam), and those who chose wisely (Christ and Paul), and gives suggestions on how to choose good companions.

Sermon Powerpoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

This sermon uses the parable of the persistent widow to explain the importance of prayer, and the nature of God’s providence.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

An examination of the relationship between temptation, and the sins of man.

Sermon Powerpoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

This sermon examines the severe denunciation of the Pharisee, spoken by the Lord in Matthew 23.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

In preparation for the meeting beginning the next week with brother Micky Galloway, this sermon emphasizes the importance and benefits of the preaching done in these special efforts.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

The last supper that Jesus took with his disciples before his betrayal has long been a favorite subject of artists. Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting of the event is a classic, prints of which hang in homes and grace the pages of many Bibles. It is only one of thousands of paintings on the subject that have been completed in the past 1,000 or so years.

Recently researchers took 52 of those paintings, and did an interesting thing. They analyzed the size of the plates and food portrayed in the paintings, to see if it would cast any light on the change in eating habits over the past millenium.

Continue reading “In the News: Gluttony and the Last Supper” →