| April 9, 2000 |
Vol. II, No. 50
|
Many preachers keep a notebook of random thoughts on a variety of subjects that they intend to use in a sermon or article sometime. Many of those tidbits never see the light of day. Others write articles like this one and present those unrelated reflections. Here are a few from one preacher’s notes.
Prayer. Do you really realize the benefits of prayer? When you pray to God you never get a busy signal. He never puts you on “hold.” You are never interrupted by “call waiting.” You can talk as long as you want. And the call is toll free. What a bargain! What an advantage! What an incentive! Don’t break the habit of praying, 1 Thess. 5”17.
Long-Winded Song Leaders. With this clock-watching generation we are living in, preachers become more sensitive to complaints that they are preaching too long. I regret that some are afraid they may hear too much gospel. Be that as it may, sometimes preachers are blamed unjustly. We now have song books that have several songs that stretch out over two pages and some songs have five or six verses. Some leaders feel they need to lead all of the verses all of the time. Many would object if a preacher felt he had to read all the verses he quoted from a particular chapter. Since I like to sing, I have no problem with singing all the verses. But since I also preach I feel the need to point out that preachers are not always the reason why the service lasted longer than you wanted it to.
Inherited Guilt -- Racial Guilt? Should we be held accountable for the sins of our ancestors? Some think so and have tried to make me feel guilty. The Bible teaches otherwise -- “the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father” (Ezek. 18:20). Thank God I am not guilty of what my ancestors did to the Indians five generations ago in killing many innocent people or running them off of the land. (I don’t know if any of my relatives were involved, but that is beside the point I am making). Nor is any Indian living today responsible for what his ancestors did in scalping many innocent men, women, and children, or burning their homes. Neither should I feel guilty for the sinful way many Negroes were treated by white men who captured them, mistreated them, or made them slaves. Nor should any black person today feel guilty over the way cannibals treated many white missionaries who went to the native lands of their ancestors. We should all deplore man’s inhumanity to man. Let us equally deplore the attempt to blame generations that had nothing to do with things that occurred long before they were born. The judgment will not be based on collective guilt. If so, nobody has a chance. We will be judged on a personal basis for what we have done, 2 Cor. 5:10. No Christian should have a part in radical and lawless groups such as the KKK, Black Panthers, etc.
Sermon Requests. While lighting up a cigarette, a lady asked me to preach a sermon about these wild Jehus who speed and drive recklessly up and down the highway. Another person who has a weakness for backbiting asked me to preach on smoking.
I have worked with congregations that had a question box in the foyer. One night per month I would endeavor to answer questions that were submitted. At one place I soon learned that the box was being abused by those who were not asking for information so they could be edified. They were using me to “get at” somebody else in the audience. They lacked the nerve to do it themselves. Brethren, these things ought not so to be. It is refreshing when someone requests a topic because they need it -- which doesn’t happen too often.
The Rewards For Debating. Those who have participated in public debate seem to be unanimous in saying that the work is never harder and the pay is never poorer. And in some cases there is little appreciation. It is true that there aren’t many rewards for defending the faith in this life. Those who are set for the defense of the faith in debate can’t be doing it for financial reasons, in most cases. We should be “set for the defense of the gospel” that we might be partakers of His grace, Phil. 1:16-17.
Write Letters. One source of reaching the public with Bible truth on moral and religious issues of our day is by writing letters to the editors of our local newspapers. I am convinced this has not been utilized enough by Christians today.
The letter may be trimmed by the editor for brevity but the main body is usually kept in tact. We should take advantage of every opportunity to teach. A lot of fuzzy thinking in religion and morals appears in our newspapers that need answering. Christians should be ready to answer, 1 Pet. 3:15. One advantage to “letters to the editor” is that it is a free forum. If you are not good at writing letters don’t be ashamed to ask for help from a fellow Christian who may be a better grammarian and speller. Try to cut out excess verbiage and speak directly to the point.
I also urge more writing to the syndicated advice columnists, such as Abby and Ann Landers. Though the chance is slim that such a letter will be printed, if enough Christians write, some of them will get through and be printed. Millions will have the opportunity to hear some truth.
One word of admonition. Do not write in such a manner as to be unbecoming to the gospel, Phil. 1:27. Try to shed more light than heat.
Conclusion: I hope some of these remarks will be worthy of your consideration, and helpful to you.
--Dick Blackford via Searching the Scriptures
As I write this (March 20), reports are still coming in about the mass-murder, mass-suicide of a Ugandan cult. As of the time of this writing, the death toll is being estimated at 500 or more. The actual number will never known.
Strangely enough the cult was called the Movement for the Restoration of Ten Commandments of God. It seems they did an extremely poor job of restoring the Sixth Commandment which reads (N.K.J.): “You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13).
Only God knows how many of the cult members willingly participated in their own deaths, how many were duped by their murderous leaders, and how many innocent children were murdered by their parents and/or the cult authorities. But all those who were of accountable minds who willingly participated in this heinous crime are guilty of violating the sixth commandment they were presumably interested in restoring.
Murder of innocent children is a clear violation of that command. And so is suicide. Hebrew scholars Keil and Delitzsch show that the sixth commandment in its original language and setting forbade self-murder as well as other forms of murder. “Life is placed at the head of these commandments, not as being the highest earthly possession, but because it is the basis of human existence and in the life the personality is attached, and in that the image of God (Gen. 9:6). The omission of the object still remains to be noticed, as showing that the prohibition includes not only the killing of a fellow-man, but the destruction of one’s own life, or suicide.”
The writer of the article on suicide in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia concurs: “No special law is found against this crime, for it is included in the prohibition against killing. Contrary to the practice and the philosophy of paganism, the act was held in deep abhorrence by the Hebrews because of the high value placed on human life. It was held inexcusable that any but the most degraded and satanic should lay hands on their own lives. Only the remorse of the damned could drive one to it, as witness Saul (1 S 31:4) and Judas (Mt 27:5).”
While it is, of course, true that the Law of Moses with its Ten Commandments, has been “nailed to the cross,” (Col. 2:14-16), it is also true that nine of those ten commands have been incorporated into the new covenant as well. See Rom. 13:9, etc.
--CRJ
Matthew tells us that Jesus’ disciples were in a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee, “tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’ And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of God’” (Matt. 14:24-33).
A few years ago a friend of mine overheard two ladies discussing this passage of Scripture. One of the ladies related how she had always believed that Jesus had actually walked on the water until her preacher preached a “fine” sermon informing his audience that, actually, Jesus was walking NEAR the water. She said he proved it by the Greek. Well, now, I didn’t know her preacher nor what his credentials are, or how long he has studied Greek. But I would venture a guess that his knowledge of the Greek language does not surpass that of the dozens of reputable scholars who translated the King James, American Standard, New American Standard, New King James -- and all other translations I’ve ever seen. I have over 35 translations in my library, and they all, without exception, say that Matthew said Jesus walked ON the water. Not only does Matthew relate this fact, Mark corroborates Matthew’s account, Mark 6:49. And John agrees, John 6:19. And note that both Matthew and John were there when it happened.
Furthermore, since the disciples had rowed about three or four miles, John 6:19, and were in the middle of the sea, Matt. 14:24 when Jesus strolled up to them, I’d say that preacher had some tall explaining to do. Surely Jesus’ legs weren’t that long. (?)
And finally, how would one explain the effects Matthew, Mark, and John record: The initial fear they experienced. What would be so frightening about someone walking along the beach near the water? Note also that this event produced such awe and astonishment in the disciples that they immediately worshiped Jesus, saying, “Truly, You are the Son of God.”
Frankly, I have little patience with “preachers” who do not believe the Bible. The Bible says that Jesus walked ON the water, and this preacher believes it.
--CRJ