A WAKE UP CALL FROM JESUS

by Scott Shifferd

“Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation”, said Jesus as He returned from prayer in the garden (Lk 22.46). Jesus told His disciples to pray that they not enter into temptation, but now, an armed crowd came to arrest Jesus. When is an inopportune to time to listen to Jesus?

Many people do not listen to Jesus, and they think they are heaven bound. They reason that good people go to Heaven. If good people go to Heaven, then who needs Jesus and who needs God? Regarding being good, Jesus said, "No one is good but One, that is, God" (Mk 10.18). He also said, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mk 2.17b). If we have not been sinners, then we do not need Jesus. Jesus was asked, "Lord, are there few who are saved?", and to which Jesus replied, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Lk 13.23-24).

If we need to repent, then we need Jesus. Do our consciences tell us that we need to be relieved of guilt and regret? Jesus said,

“What comes out of a person, that defiles a person. For from within, out of the heart of people, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, extramarital sex, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, cursing, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Mk 7.20-23).

Are we innocent or guilty? If we not guilty of some sin and evil, then we do not need Jesus. Christ said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” (Jn 8.34). He also stated, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn 8.32).

No one wants to believe that God would send us to Hell, but those, who are guilty, are condemned (Jn 3.18-20). Jesus stated,

“The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Mt 13.41-42).

Jesus was clear about those, who practice lawlessness, saying,

“Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? 'And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Mt 7.21-23).

Jesus stated, “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (Lk 12.5, cf. Mk 9.43).

See, Jesus taught, "The Son of man has come to save that which was lost" (Mt 18.11, cf. Lk 19.9-10, Jn 3.17, 12.47). For Christ prayed,

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (Jn 17.1-3).

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, cf. 10:9).

Jesus tells of what must be given for eternal life saying, “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (Jn 12:25), and Christ said in Mark 8.34-35, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me and the gospel's will save it” (cf. Lk 9.24ff, Mt 10.37-39). Therefore, Jesus wants us to be like Him. Jesus showed the world the greatest act of love as Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends” (Jn 15.13).

Do you truly believe Jesus Christ? Jesus said, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Mt 10.32-33). Jesus said that He would build His Church on the confession that He is the Christ (Mt 16.18). Therefore, Jesus instructed that one must believe that He is, who He says that He is, the “I am” (Jn 8.24, 58, Is 9.6, 48.16).

Do you truly love Christ? Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me” (Jn 14.21). Jesus warned of dying in sins saying, “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Lk 13.3, 5). Therefore, Jesus taught, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (Jn 3.5). Jesus spoke of being born of the water and the Spirit when He said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk 16.16, cf. Mt 28.19).

Knowing that Jesus said that all can be freed from sin by the Truth, that Truth is God's Word (Jn 8.32, 17.17). Therefore, Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed” (Jn 8.31). The disciples of Christ within His Church can be clearly seen. Jesus preached, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God” (Mt 5.6-8). Jesus also stated, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13.35, cf. 1 Jn 3.16). Concerning man-made worship and the worship that David brought to Jerusalem, Jesus said,

“believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father […] the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn 4.21-24).

These are characteristics of Christ's followers, who form the Church that He built.

When is an inopportune to time to listen to Jesus? “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, unless you enter into temptation”. Listen to Him now. Christ warned and instructed,

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Mt 7.13-14, Lk 13.23-24).

Jesus invites you,

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Mt 11.28-30).

~Scott Shifferd

Scott’s bio:  Scott Shifferd is a native of Montgomery, AL. He has served as a minister for 12 years, and for 6 years been ministering by preaching at the Dean Road church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL. Scott married Rachael Christine Sullivan of Tallahassee, FL after they met in Jacksonville and dated at Freed-Hardeman. They have a daughter and two sons. Scott has a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Faulkner University. Scott has written hundreds of articles for his website for over 7 years at GodsBreath.Net that reaches 18,000 readers a month from around the world.

Links:

http://godsbreath.net

http://www.deanroadchurchofchrist.org

IS IT ALL RELATIVE?

by Morne Stephanus

What is 1+1? One does not need a degree in mathematics to answer this question. From a young age we are made aware of this rudimentary concept: if you have one apple and you add another then you have two apples. No matter where you are in the world the answer to this question will always be two; not three or four, but two. This is the case because there is a universal mathematical truth: one plus one is always two regardless of circumstance or location.  Can the same be said for the Bible? Many would unequivocally deny that the Bible can be universally understood the same.  There are those who would argue that truth is relative, dependant on the individuals and groups holding them. Thus, one person might believe the Bible to say one thing and another person reading the same Bible might interpret it completely different and both persons would still be right.  This view would appear to advance tolerance and consideration if it were not for the fact that it promotes confusion and ungodliness.  Is this what God had in mind when He inspired men to write His Word?  Does God approve of a view that suggests there is no absolute truth or that you can interpret what you read in His Word any way you like and still be on the right path?  The answer to these questions is a resounding, NO!  “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (1Cor. 14:33). God made it distinctly clear that everyone, regardless of culture, race or location can understand His word alike. Notice this remarkable account recorded for us in Nehemiah 8:4-8:

And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood up: And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

Is it not interesting that all these men read from the same book, gave the people the meaning and caused them to understand it? Israel did not walk away from that gathering with everyone having a different view on what was read.  In 1Corinthians 1:10 God, through the apostle Paul, admonishes the church to “speak the same things” and to “be of the same mind and in the same judgment”. Therefore, speaking different and conflicting things is diametrically opposed to the command of God to speak the same things. On another occasion the apostle Paul instructed Timothy to admonish the brethren to “teach no other doctrine” (1Tim.1:3).  The same was said to the church in Ephesus, “be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Eph 4:14).  The Galatians caused Paul to be negatively amazed because they were so soon removed from the gospel of Christ to another gospel (Gal.1:6-9). Paul said he taught the same thing in every church (1Cor.4:17).  Recorded in John 17:20-21 is Jesus’ prayer for unity: Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.  The evidence for a universal understanding of Scripture is overwhelming. This tells us that it is not only possible but imperative to understand the Bible alike. All believers in Christ can be united. However, in order to achieve this holy unity all must adhere to God’s Word, speaking the same things and being of the same mind. The idea of being unified is a great one; it is a godly one. Unity has been and still is God’s plan for His Believers. Therefore, just like Christ prayed for unity and the apostles preached unity we must practice unity.  We must be a people guided by “thus saith the Lord” speaking only where the Bible speaks and being silent where the Bible is silent.

Bio:

Born and raised in Cape Town South Africa, Married to the lovely Amanda Suzette for 3 years. I Graduated from MSOP in 2008. Since then I have worked with two congregations in South Africa, in 2012 I started working with the Capital City Church of Christ in Baton Rouge. LA until present. 

Websites : http://www.capcitychurchofchrist.com

UNITY

by Steven Ford

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3).  

With it we can glorify God and do much good in the world.  Yet, without it our progress is stymied and our overall effectiveness is hampered.  Of course, I am referring to unity. Unity is fundamental in realizing the great potential for all true believers in Christ.  Its importance is such that the apostle Paul, in some way, mentioned UNITY in nearly every one of his inspired letters.  In one such letter he wrote. “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).

In an effort to highlight its significance, three questions need to be answered.  The first question is, “Why should one seek unity?”  To begin, it follows a divine pattern.  As recorded by John, our Lord prayed that we might be one.  “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:20-21).  There is no division within the Godhead.  Thus in seeking to be shaped into the image of our Lord (Romans 8:29), we follow the divine pattern of being “one” or unified.

We should also seek unity because it is a blessing to all involved.  “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion...” (Psalm 133).  In this Psalm, unity is referred to as being both good and pleasant.  There are some things in life that are good, but not pleasant.  Still others may be pleasant, but not good.  Unity meets both criteria.  Not only is unity good and pleasant, but it is “precious.”  Its quality is compared to the anointing oils running down onto the beard of Aaron and the life giving waters that descended from the peaks of Mt. Hermon.  True unity is precious and should be sought after diligently.

Finally, we should seek unity because it allows for focus and stability. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3).  The answer quite obviously is, no. Yet, to the contrary when the two are agreed, they can walk hand in hand to accomplish the goal that is set before them.

Further where there is NO UNITY, there is NO STABILITY.  “But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth” (Luke 11:17).  Now knowing its benefits, HOW is unity ACCOMPLISHED?  First, by all men walking the same godly “walk.”  “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye WALK worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Ephesians 4:1).  The apostle Paul encourages us to walk a “WORTHY” walk and NOT a “WORLDLY” walk. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world...” (Ephesians 2:1-2).  One must also “walk” in good works according to the eternal plan of God.  “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

The second question to be answered is, “how is unity achieved?” We achieve unity by having the right attitude.  “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). There must exhibit an attitude of lowliness.  That means we should be humble; recognizing that it is not about us, but our Lord.  Further, we should have an attitude of meekness.  We should be gentle, kind, and under control.  This would make us like Christ himself.  For it was He that said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart...” (Matthew 11:28-29).

In achieving unity Paul says we should be longsuffering.  We should be patient with each other.  To compliment the longsuffering, he says we should “forbear one another in love,”  [literally to hold up, endure, and tolerate each other].  We should not be so quick to write someone off just because they don’t act like we would hope they would.  Consider the ways of God, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Finally, unity can be achieved by making the effort to do so.  “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).  Unity will not be achieved by sitting idly by and wishing for it.  By use of the word “endeavoring,” Paul indicates that we should exert ourselves, strive for, and make an earnest effort to be one through Christ.

Having noted the benefits and methods for attaining unity, the final question to answer is, “in which we are to be unified?”  Brother Winston Temple noted that Paul knew that on the divine side (the Godhead), there was perfect unity.  However, he also knew that to bring such a great number of people with different backgrounds into one body, the Church, could cause divisions. Therefore to curb these potential divisions he presented the perfect standard of unity as recorded in Ephesians 4:4-6.

1. There is “one BODY” - Therefore we have unity in ORGANIZATION.
2. There is “one SPIRIT” - Therefore we have unity in GUIDANCE.
3. There is “one HOPE” - Therefore we have unity in ASPIRATION.
4. There is “one LORD” - Therefore we have unity in AUTHORITY.
5. There is “one FAITH” - Therefore we have unity in DOCTRINE.
6. There is “one BAPTISM” - Therefore we have unity in OBEDIENCE.
7. There is “one GOD” - Therefore we have unity in WORSHIP.

We do not strive to accomplish “uniformity” wherein we all dress alike, have the same hobbies or interests, or even think alike on trivial matters. Yet, as it relates to all things spiritual, believers must be “perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement” (1 Corinthians 1:10).  

We should seek unity because it follows a divine pattern, blesses those involved, and gives us focus toward our spiritual goals.  Unity is accomplished by walking the right “walk,” having the proper attitude, and exerting oneself.  Finally, we are unified by appealing to the sacred standard as presented in Ephesians 4:4-6.  

When Christians stand as one, arm in arm, upholding the truth, and contending for the faith without any divisions, we can do exactly what the church should to do: Bring glory to God through faithful service in the name of Jesus the Christ.  “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen (Ephesians 3:21).

Steven's Bio: Steven Ford is the local evangelist for the Highway church of Christ in Benton, Arkansas. Benton is located in Central Arkansas just minutes from the capitol city of Little Rock. Steven is also a 2013 graduate of the Memphis School of Preaching. He, along with his wife Carlisa, and two daughters Savannah and Summer are originally from Detroit, Michigan. While in Michigan Steven was blessed to serve with two faithful congregations both both in the pulpit and with their youth.

Links:
http://www.highwaycoc.com