In This Issue

•  "GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS"
• MAN’S NEED FOR A DIVINE STANDARD
• SAVING OUR OWN
• UPCOMING GOSPEL MEETING SCHEDULE
• MORE INFORMATION...

 "GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS"

Mary Magdalene and other women who had followed Jesus from Galilee had gone to the tomb to anoint His body, but they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. An angel informed them that Jesus had risen from the dead and that they would see Him in Galilee. "So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice!’ And they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.’ Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, ‘Tell them, "his disciples came at night and stole him away while we slept." And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.’ So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day" (Matt. 28:2-15).

Thus we see that as a result of the resurrection of Jesus, His friends were elated, seeking opportunity to report the good news. On the other hand, His enemies are troubled, and seek to find an effective way to cover up the truth of Christ’s resurrection.

Verse 16 informs us that Jesus had previously made an appointment to meet His disciples on a certain mountain in Galilee. After His death, of course, they did not expect Him to keep that appointment -- but now He has been raised and both by His angel and by His personal appearance, He sends word for them to meet Him on the appointed mountain. We note that the women who had been faithfully following Him were also invited to be in that gathering. This is almost certainly the occasion of which Paul writes in 1 Cor. 15:6, "He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once."

Matthew goes on to tell us that "when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen" (Matt. 28:17-20).

Thus ends Matthew’s account of the wonderful story of Jesus.

--CRJ

MAN’S NEED FOR A DIVINE STANDARD

The need for divine authority in religion can be clearly seen in the light of Isaiah’s statement, "’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the Lord, For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts,’" (Isa. 55:8-9). Jeremiah adds, "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jer. 10:23).

Since man is not capable of directing his own steps, God has given us the Scriptures to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, Psalm 119:105. It is by this means that He guides us, having "given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Pet. 1:3) and "thoroughly equipped [us] for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:15-17). There are works that seem good to men, but that do not have God’s endorsement, Prov. 14:12. This is why each of us should consult the Bible, our standard of authority, and "prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:21). The need for man to submit to God’s authority is so great that God has given solemn warnings to those who might be inclined to tamper with His word, Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19.

But many who know what God has said on certain matters and who have refused to submit to His will, claim a right to the tree of life without doing God’s will. The day is coming when they will be sorely disappointed, Rev. 22:14. Many claim to be accepted by God by virtue of some "better felt than told" experience. They pat themselves on the chest and boldly proclaim, "But I know how I feel!" No doubt, they DO know how they feel. But it’s much safer to rely on what God has SAID, because it is always possible that your feelings or intuitions may be wrong, but it is not possible for God to lie, Heb. 6:18. It is sad, but true, that many individuals who have deceived themselves into thinking that they respect God’s revelation will examine a passage of Scripture that contradicts their practice, and then set aside everything God has said by stating, "I wouldn’t trade this feeling that I have in my heart for all the Bibles in the world." Any person who views God’s word so lightly is in sad spiritual condition. If this has been your attitude, consider one more passage from the word of God: "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered," (Prov. 28:26). Friend, don’t put your trust in your own emotions--put your trust in Almighty God. Believe what He says, and obey what He teaches.

--CRJ

SAVING OUR OWN

Over the years brethren have asked me a question which has always amazed me. Upon returning from a gospel meeting and reporting that so many obeyed the gospel, someone has been sure to ask, "Were they just all young people?" or "Were they just children of Christians?" JUST young people? JUST children of Christians? I suppose those who raise this question mean to imply that we ought to be evangelizing those who have had no family connection with Christians and that is true.

But I can tell you that there are many parents over this nation and around the world who are Christians and whose children have grown up without obeying the gospel who would give anything if somebody could reach their own children with the truth. Some of these young people have been taken to Bible classes and services since infancy but somewhere around junior high school age, they begin a resistance to the gospel, which grows and hardens their hearts. All too many of them finish high school, go to college, or get married, or enter the job market, and leave home unsaved.

Brethren who live and work in college and university towns or cities tell me of many young people who come there to school who never attend a single service and who resist all efforts to help them spiritually. The problem is real and far from insignificant. Many of us are simply not saving our own.

Noah was a preacher of righteousness, 2 Pet. 2:5. Through the spirit of the Lord he preached for 120 years "while the ark was preparing" (Gen. 6:3; 1 Pet. 3:20). What was the result of all this effort? In the ark, "eight souls were saved by water" (1 Pet. 3:20). EIGHT SOULS? After preaching 120 years? What a failure Noah was! Right? Wrong! He was eminently successful. You see, not only was Noah saved from the flood, which brought destruction on the world of the ungodly, but so were his wife, his three sons and their wives. Every human on the face of the earth today traces his ancestry through one of the sons of Noah. Noah saved his own.

Contrast Noah with Eli, a priest, whose sons were vile. The statement is tersely made "And he restrained them not" (1 Sam. 3:13). He lost his own while officiating for the people. Think of Samuel, a prophet, priest and judge. Much is said about his faithfulness in attending to his own duties before God. But his sons were evil and became the pretext the people used in clamoring for a king, 1 Sam. 8:1-5. In a lifetime of serving the people well, he did not save his own.

What Bible reader has not been touched by the pathetic moaning of David, "O Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, would God I had died for thee!" If all the tears of God’s people down through time, shed for their own children, could be gathered in one place, they would fill an ocean. David defeated Goliath, conquered the Canaanite tribes, expanded the boundaries of his kingdom from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates, wrote many beautiful psalms and is in the lineage of the Messiah. But he did not save his own.

Call the roll of men who whose names became household words, men of renown, heroes of the faith. Yet many of them lost their children. Oh yes, through their years of preaching, writing, debating and devoting themselves to the kingdom, many of them lost their own. There is a great lesson here for those of us who preach. There are many demands on our time. We want to serve. We want to save all we can. But what of our children who would treasure some of that precious time spent with them; time for a picnic, ball game, camping trip, or simple game in the evening around the kitchen table – an investment of time with those we love? While we spend hours locked away in an office with a word processor, writing articles to resolve burning issues of the day, or to prepare material for classes and sermons (all of which are commendable), what of those neglected "prospects for conversion" who are little by little drawn away into another world where we cannot reach them? Could it be that there are preachers, elders, deacons, Bible class teachers and other zealous Christians who are continually searching for "prospects" to lead to the Lord, who could find some in the family room being entertained before the TV or VCR? Do they not wonder about the meaning of life? Do they not need guidance to find their way through the treacherous pressures around them every day? Do they need help to offset the influences of Darwinism, secular humanism, or even Satanism? Do they see religion as your profession and not as a personal commitment to the Lord?

Where are the mothers? Are careers more fulfilling than motherhood? Is an extra paycheck worth it, if through neglect of your own, they lock you out (could some of this be retribution?) and you finally awaken in dismay to the fact that they have no faith in the Lord?

Whole congregations have unwittingly contributed to losing our own. When there is a history of bitterness and strife, young people growing up in such an atmosphere are turned off by the sham of those who profess to be leaders in Israel. I know of places which have lost a whole generation of young people for this reason. It is difficult for the best of homes to offset such evil work in congregations. Instead of extended help to the homes in saving our own, they become extended hindrances and contribute to the loss of souls.

We have reached the place where I am delighted to be able to answer the question, "Were those converted just children of members of the church?" by saying, "Yes, thank God, we were able to save some of our own." Evangelism begins at home.

--Connie W. Adams, Searching the Scriptures

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