Let Your Light Shine

1 Tim 3:15. “… that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

In this text the Apostle Paul is instructing the young preacher Timothy on how Christians are to behave themselves “in the Church”. This is important because as we learn in John 17:20-23 how Christians treat each other and behave towards each other is the primary evidence that Jesus Christ was sent by God the Father into the world.

So then, the church is not some private club with secret meetings and passwords and secret handshakes, but is supposed to be open to all so that all may see how Christians behave to each other. Our assemblies are open to all for that very purpose. Unfortunately many do not avail themselves of the opportunity to view what is going on in those assemblies.

Parkway Church of Christ also exists in a virtual format through its Facebook page. The Parkway Church of Christ Facebook page has 163 “likes”. Of those about 40 are our members. The rest are former members, family members, international students and complete strangers (to me). On that page, which I manage, there is a link to my blog where I write Bible based articles, pictures of our members and news that is important to the congregation. When that information goes out 123 people who are not our members get to view what is going on in our congregation which testifies to the deity of Jesus Christ.

But wait… a lot more people see it. In the week July 10-16, 1,112 viewed what we posted on the Parkway Facebook page. We have never had that many “visitors” to any of our assemblies. How does that happen?

Whenever someone “likes”, “comments on” or “shares” the things we post, then that info. is shared with that persons “friends”. That’s how we get 1,112 views on our page, which is 1,112 opportunities for viewers to conclude that Jesus Christ is the son of God.

One of our former members posted a prayer request on our page on June 5. It generated 22 comments and had a lot of exposure.

What can you do to improve the visibility of our congregation? Certainly attend our services and invite your friends but also “like” our Parkway Facebook page and if you see a post that you agree with “like” it, comment on it or share it. Also, like the former member who posted the prayer request, be active on our page.

Let your light shine.

What Can I Get For a Rib?

There is an old joke about Adam in the Garden of Eden. God comes to visit Adam and recognizes that there is something wrong and asks Adam what the matter is. Adam says, I don’t know… it’s kind of like an empty feeling… I’ve never felt it before. God says, Adam I know what’s wrong with you and I have the cure. It’s a creation called woman; she will love you, fix all your meals, take care of all your needs and make you happy all the days of your life. Adam says… yes God I’d like one of those. God said, OK Adam but for everything there is a price and if I make woman for you it will cost you your right leg. Adam pondered that for a minute and responded… what can I get for a rib? …Obviously something less. In Ephesians 5 we learned that Christ gave up everything for his bride including his life so that he might have an exquisite wife. Husbands are supposed to do the same thing. Unfortunately many don’t and end up with wives who feel under-appreciated and under-loved and don’t live up to their full potential as wives. Husbands the joke is on you if you don’t pay the full price.

Three Shepherds

A successful sheep rancher called his three Shepherds together and assigned them 100 sheep each. He sent them out into the countryside to pasture their sheep with instructions to report back in a year. The first Shepherd found forage for his sheep, cared for the occasional illness or injury that came up, protected them from predators and when the occasional sheep got lost he searched diligently until he found it… dead or alive. He loved his sheep. The second Shepherd behaved in a similar fashion except that when one of his sheep strayed off he would make a cursory sweep for it and call for it by name but if it failed to show up he figured he had made the effort and went back to tending the rest of the sheep and soon forgot about the lost sheep. The third Shepherd found pasture for his sheep but was kind of a “hands off” guy. The sheep needed to learn to tend for themselves and be responsible for themselves. If a sheep strayed off he didn’t look for it. He figured if the sheep didn’t appreciate the benefits of the flock then it could do what it wanted. If it came back… fine but if it stayed away… fine. At the end of the year the Shepherds returned for an accounting of their flocks. The first Shepherds sheep were in good shape and the Ewes had all “lambed” and the flock had increased to 175 sheep. He had lost a few sheep due to predation and health related issues but all in all he had done a good job and managed everything under his control. The second Shepherds flock tallied in at 143 head of sheep. The third Shepherd’s flock had decreased in size to 88 head of sheep due to his faulty philosophy of individual responsibility and a “hands off” approach. The Sheep Rancher fired the third Shepherd for losing so many sheep due to his negligence. The Sheep Rancher is Jesus. The Shepherds are his appointed Elders/Bishops. The sheep are the church. The roundup and tally are the Judgment day.

A Beautiful Bride

A man invited a woman to marry him. He told her that he expected to be the head of their family and that if she accepted his invitation she would have to respect his headship. In return he promised to take care of all her needs even if it meant working two or three jobs to do so and doing without himself… he would take care of her first.

She accepted his invitation and they were married. Through the years many trials assaulted their union but she remained faithful to him and he loved and provided for her. They became “one” in every sense of the word.

The man was Jesus. The wife was humanity. She was blemished and not pretty but Jesus saw the potential for true beauty in her. He washed all her sins away with his own blood and she became a pure and beautiful wife to him. Satan assaulted their marriage but even the “Gates of Hell could not prevail” against their union.

Jesus still offers the invitation to be transformed into something pure and beautiful. Accept his conditions and begin the process.

What Must I Do To Inherit Eternal Life?

In Mt. 19:16-22, a man asks Jesus a question,” What must I do to inherit eternal life?” That’s a great question… almost like a practice test before the Judgment Day. Imagine if Jesus could do a brief review of our spiritual condition and tell us what we have to work on. What a blessing! We potentially could be much better prepared to face the Judgment. Jesus’ first answer to the man was to tell him to follow the 10 Commandments as they relate to how we treat other people; Don’t murder anyone, don’t cheat on your wife, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t cheat and give honor to your parents. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Then Jesus told the man something that is never mentioned in the 10 Commandments. Sell everything you have and become a Disciple and follow Jesus. The man had to think on that one and walked away with sorrow because he highly valued his possessions. Six out of seven things he was OK on. In school that would be an 86… definitely passing and above average but in the Kingdom not good enough to go to Heaven. Christians have to put greater value on compassion for the poor than for their personal financial well-being. Jesus after all gave up everything he had to help those in spiritual poverty and we are to be like him. If not then say Adios to eternal life. The only test we’re going to get before the Judgment Day is a self- test and it’s an open book test. Don’t neglect to make use of it.

Jo-Len's parents, Len and Connie Wright, here for the scheduled C-section on Tuesday.

How to be Poor

Proverbs 13 and 14 describe how people bring themselves into poverty.

- They are lazy

- They won’t listen to advice

- They won’t live according to God’s teachings (wicked

)

- Certain types of wives are foolish and destructive

- Some people spend more time talking than working.

It would seem natural then to have an attitude like…

- They made their own mess and now they have to find their own way out

- They have reaped what they have sown

- I’m going to let them “bottom out”

- They wouldn’t listen to me and I’ve done all I’m going to do for them

However, Proverbs states that to despise the poor is sinful behavior and it dishonors God. He says we are to be “gracious” to the poor. That being gracious brings honor to God.

God doesn’t want us to behave like humans. He wants us to behave like him, to be little gods. No one ever said it would be easy.