In This Issue

• A MEMORIAL FOR A WOMAN WHO DID WHAT SHE COULD
• SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT YOUR PREACHER
• IMMATURITY
• HOW ABOUT THIS FOR THE “WORST USE OF SCRIPTURE” AWARD?
• MORE INFORMATION...

A MEMORIAL FOR A WOMAN WHO DID 

WHAT SHE COULD

On Sunday, Jesus had entered Jerusalem triumphantly, and the crowds had shouted, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Mark 11:9). On Monday, He had driven the money changers out of the temple, saying, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called “a house of prayer for all nations.” But you have made it a “den of thieves,”'" Mark 11:17. On Tuesday, He put to silence both the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and foretold the upcoming destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. The inspired writers do not inform us of His activities on Wednesday. 

Thursday "was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. But they said, 'Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.'" (Mark 14:1-2). 

But in the next few verses, an unexpected event occurred. Being rebuked or scolded by Jesus, Judas Iscariot decided to become a traitor. He would betray the Lord. Even though it was the Passover season, and there was the danger of causing a rebellion, the chief priests and elders could not resist taking advantage of the opportunity to be rid of Jesus once and for all. Mark records, "And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as [Jesus] sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, 'Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than 300 denari and given to the poor.' And they rebuked her sharply. But Jesus said, 'Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached to the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial for her.' Then Judas Iscariot, one of the 12, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him. (Mark 14:3-11).

The apostle John tells us that. it was Judas in particular who led the complaints when the costly oil was used to anoint Jesus, thus it was Judas who most strongly felt the Lord's rebuke. John also informs us that Judas' complaint was rendered, "not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein." (John 12:6). 

We also learn from John that the woman who anointed Jesus on this occasion was Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. And as Jesus promised, everywhere the gospel has gone, this deed has been a memorial of her faith and love. 

–Clarence R. Johnson

SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT YOUR PREACHER

Your preacher is not perfect. He makes mistakes just like everyone else does – even like you. He tries – true, some try harder than others, but as a rule I would like to think that every preacher tries to be as good as he can be. But at his very best he is still not perfect. He will make mistakes along the way. Every preacher does. Get one and watch him closely for a while and you’ll see he makes mistakes. Get rid of that one if you wish, but the one you get to take his place will make mistakes too.

Your preacher forgets things. Even if everyone wrote everything down and gave it to him, he would still forget something along the way. Not everyone does write everything down and hand it to him. Sometimes he will hear about three or four “things” that he needs to remember right before delivering a forty or fifty minute lesson – when his thoughts are focused on the material to be discussed and not on remembering something else (unrelated to the business at hand). Sometimes immediately after delivering such a lesson three or four people will tell him “things” to be remembered – not written down – when he is tired and mentally drained. He will forget. Get rid of him and bring another one in if you wish, but that one will forget things also.

Your preacher gets his feelings hurt. He may try not to show it, but he has feelings just like everyone else. People say hurtful things and he tries to smile and shake their hands and act like everything is OK, but in his heart he hurts just as anyone else would if they were in his shoes. Unlike some, he is not at liberty to take his hurt feelings and stay away from the assembly for a few weeks to “make a point” – but he is sometimes just as hurt as those who do. He deals with it by prayer, study, meditation, and sometimes through a personal and kind confrontation – but usually by prayer, study and meditation. All preachers are basically this way. There are some worse than others, but none are above hurt feelings.

Your preacher has personal issues with which he must contend. He sometimes has trouble with his children, his wife, or his neighbors. Sometimes he is sick. Sometimes he is tired. Sometimes these issues work to put him in a “bad mood.” He tries not to show it. He does his very best to do his job despite such obstacles. But the fact remains that he faces obstacles. The obstacles that potentially prevent you from being happy and carefree are the same for him. Again, he is not at liberty to allow these obstacles to keep him from his duties, but they are there nonetheless. This is true of all preachers.

Your preacher is not out to “make your life miserable”. You may be miserable and the message he delivers may call specific attention to that misery, but that is a by-product of the message – not the messenger. Preachers – who are worthy of the name – think long and hard before confronting an issue or an individual, and they will only “make waves” if such is the necessary course. I have known some trouble-making preachers in my life, but I have found that usually they would be trouble-makers irrespective of what they did for a living. The fact that they preach makes matters worse, but it does not make them troublemakers. A Gospel Preacher will oppose what God opposes and demand what God demands and leave the rest of it alone.

Your preacher is not a fortune-teller. He does not know how things will work out beforehand. He only knows what he has to do now and for that he contends. He will sometimes make a bad move. He will sometimes start down a road that he finds is not what he thought or hoped and he will then have to back up and start down another. It happens to all preachers, just as it happens to elders, deacons, members and even those out in the world. Our hindsight is usually better than our foresight. It’s just part of being human.

Well, I suppose I should say that your preacher is basically about like you and most everyone else in the world. Does this disappoint you? Probably not – not if you have given it any serious thought, anyway. He probably does his best, and he very much hopes that his best is enough. Help him. Support him. Respect him – at least as much as is due him. Talk to him – not at him or about him – to him. Try to understand what he says. Check the message against the Bible and try to benefit from his study and experience. Correct him (in Christian love) when he is wrong. Only follow him inasmuch as he follows the Lord. Work with him – he wants exactly what you want, to see the work of the Lord flourish in your congregation. May God Bless You as You Study and Obey His Word.

-Tim Smith, Enon Endeavor, May 9, 2004

IMMATURITY

Irresponsible, shortsighted, rash and selfish conduct is often proof of immaturity. But we do not refer to years. People sixty and above may be immature — acting like little children when they do not get their way, or are forced to face the realities of this life. They are incapable of objectivity, their pride is easily hurt, and they throw a tantrum. That is bad enough in secular life, but it can be tragic in the church.

Bible knowledge maturity is found in those who dwell on something more than first principles (Heb 5:12f). They have learned that justice, mercy, and faith are the grounds upon which their concern for tithes of mint, anice and cummin can have validity. Ignore the first, and one becomes a hypocritical nit-picker with all else (Matt 23:23-24). He may strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

People-dealing maturity comes only after we learn that we are all sinners (Rom 3:23), and are completely humbled before God. The "babe" seeks an "issue" and perhaps makes a "name" for himself. But maturity seeks for souls, hoping to give them Heaven, and save them from Hell. The babe sees himself as a General in the Lord’s army; the mature saint is an expendable servant of the Lord.

Doctrinal maturity is not compromise with error. It is simply wisdom enough to know we do not know it all. The babe paddles wildly about on the surface of the water, loudly proclaiming his domination of the seas; but maturity is aware of the unexplored depths below. The fool has an answer, the wise, a reason.

Paul told Timothy to "flee youthful lusts" and "foolish and unlearned questions avoid" (2 Tim 2:22f). There is no "instant maturity" for any of us. We must start with instructions to youth, and "by reason of use" we may "grow up" in Christ. All of us are in the process in many facets of the Christian life, not having attained (Phil 3:12f). We can be patient and tolerant of blustering spiritual babes without appointing them as elders, preachers, and editors. In time, with enough milk and nurture, we may all learn to act like men.

–Robert F. Turner, Gospel Spotlight, Sept. 2002.

HOW ABOUT THIS FOR THE 

“WORST USE OF SCRIPTURE” AWARD?

The Mountain View church of Christ sent letters out announcing they were having a Christian Entrepreneur Organization extravaganza. Despite the fact that the church has no Bible authority for engaging in or promoting business and entrepreneurs Mountain View sprinkles a little Scripture in the announcement letter to make it all sound biblical.

However, take a look at what verse Mountain View used: “The scripture further states in Acts 19:25, ‘Whom he called together with the workmen of occupation and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.’ God provides a ministry of money for those attuned to His plan.” Didn’t anyone at Mountain View read the context of Acts 19:25 before plugging it in as “authority” for their extravaganza? Acts 19:25 isn’t a very good verse to prove that “God provides a ministry of money” because the speaker in Acts 19:25 is Demetrius the silversmith and the “craft” spoken of is idol making (19:24, 27). 

What a verse to use to back up a church sponsored function.

-Mark Roberts, Abundant Life, June 2004

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