Heaven: Easy or Hard?

Jesus was asked a question that has a great deal of relevance for us today. He was asked, “Are only a few going to be saved?” (Luke 13:22-30) Jesus answered the question by stating that many will not be saved and they will not be saved because they didn’t exert any effort to do so. On that great day, when Jesus gathers the few (who did make an effort), the many would be begging and pleading for Jesus to take them to heaven. In their pleas they would say… - We ate and drank and socialized with you - We listened to your teachings If Jesus returns in 2013 to gather his people what might people of today say? - I go to church on the major religious holy days; Christmas and Easter. - I have a family Bible and I read it every once in a while. - I say prayers. - I watch church on TV and listen to religious music on the radio. It takes effort to be a Christian, Jesus said we must be willing to give up everything to be one of his people and if we are not willing to do that he says we are evil and not worthy of him. He, after all, gave up everything for us. How could we do less?

Good Neighbors (2006)

Howdy. You know in David's class last night he asked the question, "Why aren't we saving more lost souls?" The answer was found in 1 Cor. 9...service...At the end of class I made the comment that another reason is that we aren't that different than non-christians.

Here is an example. My neighbor, Sam, mows 2 acres just like I do. I noticed the other day he was using his push mower. I talked to him and found out that his riding mower was broken and he was going to try to replace the engine on it. I told him he could use my riding mower any time he wanted. He said...no he would just keep using the push mower. I walked away feeling like I had done my duties as a neighbor and as a Christian.

Tonight about 7 pm I was out with my chain saw trimming up my oak trees when I noticed Sam pushing that mower through grass that was about 12 inches tall. I thought, "Sam really needs to buy a riding mower" and continued trimming my trees. Then I saw Sam's other neighbor, Frank come over with his riding mower and start helping Sam. I thought, "Doh... I wish that was me!" and I felt ashamed because Frank was a better neighbor than me. Julie came out and I related to her my feelings and she told me to get my mower and help...it wasn't too late...so I did.

See, Frank's not even a Christian. I never see him going to church. Usually he's sitting on his front porch with a can of beer in his hand. Often times in areas of service we're not any better than non-christians. We're going to have to really work hard to be different than the rest of the world.

Here's another lesson. You can offer to help someone but oftentimes it's better just to help without asking. See a need and fulfill it. The benefit of helping others is not primarily for them...it's for you and me...it turns us into better people and we might convert a lost soul along the way.

Church: Social Club or Hospital?

Someone told me awhile back that the church is not a social club for the spiritually elite but more like a hospital for the spiritually sick. Remember, the church is people. It's fun for Christians to associate with each other, to invite each other into our homes, to go to Gospel Meetings and Singings and see old friends. I guess those things are part of the joys and blessings of being a Christian and are to be valued, but not if in so doing we neglect to recognize and help those who are spiritually sick... whose lives may be in shambles because of the poor choices they have made. In Luke 5:30-32 the Pharisees, who thought they were the spiritually elite, asked Jesus why he ate with tax collectors and sinners? Jesus responded, "They that are in health have no need of a physician, but those who are sick do. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." Jesus compares being sick with being a sinner. He has the medicine that heals the disease. We are the physicians assistants who help with that healing process. Let's seek out the sick so they can be healed.

Two Women

Two women are contrasted in the book of Proverbs. The first woman is named “Wisdom” her voice is loud and persistent she calls for you to pay attention to her. She offers counsel and reproof. If you follow after Miss Wisdom you can lead a safe and secure life filled with blessings. The second woman is the adulterous woman. She is different from Miss Wisdom, she flatters, her words are smooth and enticing and seductive. If you follow after her your life will be miserable and destructive. It’s easier to listen to Miss Adultery than to Miss Wisdom but the easy path leads places we don’t want to go. Choose the harder path and walk up hill because Miss Wisdom offers a great life. You won’t be sorry. Uncle Rob

Two Ways Satan Wins

In 1 Cor. 5, the text reveals that one of the members of the Lord’s church is in a sexual relationship with his father’s wife. He is following his master… Satan. Paul condemns the members in that church for tolerating that sin and urged them to punish this member by casting him out of their Christian community… they were to have nothing to do with him. Satan was winning because he had won the individual who was committing the sin and he had damaged the church because outsiders looking in would ridicule God. Satan wins in this case because of their under-reaction to sin.

I don’t know why the congregation tolerated this overt sinful behavior. Perhaps they thought that listening to a Preacher every Sunday morning might eventually cause him to correct his behavior… I don’t know but it was the wrong approach.

Of course the punishment had a design to it… it was designed to create remorse in the individual so he would realize what he had lost and quit having sex with his father’s wife.

The second way Satan wins is by over-reaction to sin. 2 Cor. 2:7-11, has Paul warning the congregation not to over-do the punishment or the now sorrowful member might be overwhelmed by his sorrow and Satan wins again. The individual is so sorrowful that he becomes spiritually crippled and ineffective in his Christianity. He no longer is guilty of an active sin but is perhaps guilty of an inactive sin.

When a sheep is lost from the flock let’s go find it and when we find it let’s not berate and chastise it but build it up with a spirit of compassion.

Don’t let Satan win.

Humility (23 Sept 2007)

We were studying in 1 Peter this morning and I noticed this... "Yes all of clothe yourselves with humility, to serve one another for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble". 1 Peter 5:5. Sometimes when we think of humility we think of a quiet person who doesn't say very much. This verse defines humility as people serving each other... pride would be the opposite... not caring for the needs of others but serving our own needs. Jesus is our prime example in everything, even humility. And yet at times we see him as a very forceful and dynamic personality, both in his teachings and his actions. Remember in the Temple when Jesus flipped over the tables of the money exchangers and drove their livestock out with a whip? Yet Jesus was humble. "Who existing in the form of God, counted not the being the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself, taking the form of a *servant*, being made in the likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he *humbled* himself, becoming obedient even unto death." Philippians 2:6-9. Humility is service towards others.

Updated Website

http://www.parkwaychurchofchrist.us/ Thanks to Tim Graf.

Becoming Jesus

2 Corinthians 3:1-18 is a text that recalls when Moses was on Mt Sinai in the presence of God. That nearness had the effect of causing Moses’ face to shine like the sun. In fact when Moses came down off the mountain he had to wear a veil over his face it was so bright. That is compared to what happens is in the presence of Jesus Christ. It is like looking into a spiritual mirror and viewing Jesus Christ. As we gaze into that mirror we are transformed into the same spiritual image. There are at least three things involved in that transformation. 1 John 5:18 states that those begotten of God do not sin, Jesus had no sin in him and we cannot have sin in us. We have to develop such a hatred for sin that it becomes impossible for us to engage in it. Matthew 11:29, states that we are to take the “yoke” of Jesus and “learn” about him. If we’re going to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ we need to have a deep and intimate knowledge of who he is. Philippians 2:1-7, states that Jesus was a servant and we must also become servants to each other… a community of servants. We can be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ by committing ourselves to being free of sin, by learning of Jesus and by living lives of service to others. We are not called upon to evangelize the world. We are called upon to become Jesus Christ. Take care of that and the world will be evangelized.