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Remembering God’s Deliverance

May 26, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Exodus 12 gives instructions regarding the first observance of the Passover prior to God working the tenth and final plague on Egypt when God smote every firstborn except those who were passed over because they observed the feast. When Israel came into the promised land, the Passover was to be kept commemorating God’s power and plan to deliver His people from bondage (Ex. 12:25).

Photo by Arjan Stalpers on Unsplash

The Passover foreshadowed the cross of Christ by which God redeems mankind from the bondage of sin. Jesus, in fulfilling the law of Moses, celebrated the Passover (Lk. 22:15). During Passover time, He inaugurated the Lord’s supper (Luke 22:15-20). He then was sacrificed on the cross for our sins (Lk. 23:33). The New Testament identifies Jesus as the Passover lamb to which the Old Testament pointed (1 Cor. 5:7; Jn. 1:29, 36; Rev. 5:6). Just as the Passover lamb was to have none of its bones broken, so also Jesus died on the cross before the soldiers came to break His bones (Ex. 12:46; Jn. 19:32-36).

Since the Passover occurred during the Jewish feast of Unleavened Bread, it is obvious that Jesus used unleavened bread for the supper He inaugurated to commemorate His body (Ex. 12:8, 15; Mt. 26:26; 1 Cor. 11:23). Not only was the bread unleavened, but no leaven was in their houses during this week. The Jews were to remove all leaven from their dwellings in preparation for the Passover (Ex. 13:7). That the Jews applied this commandment to beverages as well as bread is clear from the Mishnah: “These also must be removed at Passover: Babylonian porridge, Median beer, Edomite vinegar, and Egyptian barley-beer” (Pesachim, 3.1). Thus, the “fruit of the vine” was not fermented (for then it would have contained leaven); it was what we would call unfermented grape juice in the cup that Jesus used to memorialize His blood of the New Covenant shed for the remission of sins (Mt. 26:27-29; Mk. 14:23-25; Lk. 22:17, 18, 20).

For generations, followers of God remembered how God saved the firstborn from the final plague on Egypt and fulfilled His promise to bring them into the promised land. Today, followers of God remember how God saved us through giving His only Son to die to bring us to heaven. God fulfilled His promise of His suffering servant bearing the sins of many (Isa. 53:12). The Lord’s Supper is commemorative of Christ’s death (1 Cor. 11:26). Jesus commanded we observe this memorial feast in remembrance of Him (Lk. 22:19).

Memorials are important. This memorial is of utmost importance lest we forget the price that was paid for us (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19). Spiritual blindness results from forgetting what God has done to remove our sins (2 Pet. 1:9). If we are not thankful for what God has done and refuse to glorify Him, we are on our way to serious wickedness (Rom. 1:21). Christians follow the command to remember Jesus Christ by coming together to break the memorial bread on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). As often as we do this, we remember Him (1 Cor. 11:24-26). We should not be moved to observing the Lord’s Supper less often. We need continual reminders. We need to continue steadfastly in teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers lest we forget (Acts 2:42). Let us come together on the first day of the week to remember Him.

-Mark Day

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Stand Your Ground

May 19, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

When the Israelites—who had witnessed ten great plagues God had wrought in Egypt—were boxed in between the Egyptian army who pursued them and the Red Sea, they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness’” (Ex. 14:11, 12). The reply from their God-approved leader was, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (Ex. 14:13, 14). God’s deliverance through the Red Sea is one of many occasions in the Scriptures where God gives His people victory if they will but stand their ground. Too often His people failed to receive His wonderful gifts because they fled instead of faithfully standing by His side.

Photo by Nikolas Noonan on Unsplash

Nehemiah prepared those who were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem to stand their ground when the enemies of God attacked; he positioned armed men with their families at low points in the wall (Neh. 4:13). As the God-approved leader in that day, his words are similar to what Moses had said centuries earlier. He encouraged God’s people, saying, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” Nehemiah then reminded them of the key for their success if they would stand and fight, “Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us” (Neh. 4:20).

God’s people are not successful because they are so strong in their own abilities; they are strong because their God fights for them. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). Consider the inspired words of the apostle Paul regarding our need to trust in the Lord for strength and victory today in the Christian age:

 

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:10-16.)

 

Let us stand our ground on the word of God and trust in the power of our God to fight for us!

-Mark Day

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God’s Command: Honor Your Parents

May 12, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Jesus reserved His most severe reprimands for the scribes and Pharisees, who were ostensibly pious but in actuality promoted man-made tradition over the vital commands of God’s word. A prime example of this is His censure of their tradition of Corban—declaring one’s possessions as divine property—whereby they would attempt to exploit a loophole to avoid providing for their aging parents only to later find a way to redeem their possessions. Jesus explained, “For God commanded, saying, “Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, “Whoever says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God“—then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition” (Matthew 15:4-6). The command to honor one’s parents is explicit in the law of Moses (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16). It is also repeated in the New Testament of Jesus Christ: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with promise, ‘that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth’” (Ephesians 6:1-3).

Honor includes financial support for an aging parent. This is evident from 1 Timothy 5, where the word honor includes not only respect, but also support. While the church is to honor widows indeed (those who are bereft of all family), the responsibility falls on the family first to provide for a widow in accordance with God’s principle of honoring your father and mother. Paul explains, “But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God” (1 Timothy 5:4). A grown child is repaying their parents by caring for them in their old age because their parents cared for them when they were young.

The death penalty was prescribed by the law of Moses for those who cursed their parents (Exodus 21:17; Leviticus 20:9). Jesus quotes these passages in His rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees. Additionally, Proverbs 23:22 instructs, “Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old.” The final years of life with the decline of health are called “evil days” in Ecclesiastes 12:1. They are evil not in an ethical sense, but in the sense of suffering, injury, and pain.

To appear holy before those who don’t know us well is one thing; to obey the commands of God when it is difficult and only our family sees it is another thing. How we regard our parents reveals a lot about our attitude toward God (cf. Romans 1:30; 1 Timothy 1:9; 2 Timothy 3:2). Is it any wonder that contempt for parents and disregard for God’s word go hand in hand?

-Mark Day

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Proofs and Persuasion

May 5, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Jesus demonstrated His resurrection from the dead by many infallible proofs (Acts 1:3). Christianity rests upon powerful evidence. Many compelling reasons can be offered in favor of following Jesus Christ. From the earliest days of the church, preachers have courageously proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ in face of opposition. They did not ask people to just believe what they were saying based on a feeling, but rather marshaled evidence to persuade their audience of the truth.

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What about the Jews who claimed to believe the Old Testament but denied that Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah? Do we read of Christians in the New Testament telling them to pray for God to give them a good feeling to confirm if Jesus was the Messiah? No, they gave persuasive proofs. Consider Apollos who “vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 18:28). Saul, later called Paul, “confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 9:22). Paul formed a habit of going into synagogues and reasoning from the Scriptures; he would explain and demonstrate by drawing arguments from the text that Jesus was indeed the Messiah who had to suffer, die, and rise again (Acts 17:2, 3). Just because the evidence he presented warranted that conclusion did not mean that all were driven to that conclusion. Not all understood the evidence. Nor was everyone convinced. Acts 17:4 goes on to say that some were persuaded in Thessalonica. In Ephesus, however, though Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God, some were hardened and did not believe (Acts 19:8, 9). Other factors may interfere with one’s response to the gospel. An honest soul can see the reasoning and obey, but a man with ulterior motivations may twist his way out of the necessary conclusions.

We must keep presenting the gospel for it is the power to salvation to all who believe (Romans 1:16). Some may grow angry. They may even resort to violent opposition because they cannot answer the powerful proofs we present. When we present the words the Holy Spirit has given in the Bible, men cannot refute them. Those who disputed with Stephen, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, were not able to resist the wisdom and Spirit by which he spoke (Acts 6:10). Though many mistreated Paul for his words, we find him in the final chapter of the book of Acts still preaching the kingdom of God with all confidence (Acts 28:31). When he appeared before Felix and Agrippa to answer for crimes the Jews accused him of, Paul proved Christianity while those who opposed him could not prove their case (Acts 24:13; 25:7).

Agrippa recognized the persuasiveness of Paul’s words (Acts 26:26-28), yet no record indicates that he ever responded favorably by becoming a Christian. Paul spoke words of truth and soberness, but men in positions of power and opulence are often quick to dismiss the gospel (Acts 26:24; cf. 1 Cor. 1:26). Paul reasoned with Felix of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come to the point that Felix trembled; however, Felix pushed his response off into the future for what he hoped would be a more convenient time, but, again, history provides no such record of that time ever coming (Acts 24:25). The gospel is reasonable and the evidence for it is powerful and persuasive. Some may resist it, but we must keep proclaiming the word of salvation (Acts 13:26).

-Mark Day

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Whoever Shall Call on the Name of the Lord

May 1, 2023 by admin Leave a Comment

Joel prophesied of the last dispensation of time which would be inaugurated by great signs performed by God (Joel 2:28-32). The last days of which Joel spoke began to be fulfilled in Acts 2 as the inspired apostle Peter affirmed in verses 16-21. In these last days, the promise is whosoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21). While many in the religious world think this is a prayer to Jesus to save them from their sins, the Bible teaches otherwise. In context in Acts 2, Peter went on to prove that they audience was guilty before God for crucifying Jesus the Christ (Acts 2:22-36). Once convicted, they asked what to do. Remember whoever would call on the Lord would be saved. However, Peter did not lead them in a prayer. What did he tell them to do?

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. (Acts 2:38-40).

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Calling on the Lord to be saved was an appeal to God through repentance and baptism to be saved, having past sins remitted. Baptism saves us; it is an appeal to God for a clean conscience in response to the guilt of sin our conscience presents (1 Peter 3:21).

By inspiration, Paul affirmed that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). Paul understood that he was not speaking of a prayer a sinner­–who has never come to God, yet to become a Christian–makes. Paul/Saul was religious his entire life. He affirmed his belief in God and the Old Testament, but he did not recognize that Jesus was the Christ, the fulfillment of all the Messianic prophecies. Then Jesus revealed Himself to Paul (Acts 9:3-5). When Paul asked Jesus, “what do you want me to do?” Jesus did not say, “Well, you are already talking to me, just ask me to save you.” No. Jesus said, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do” (Acts 9:6). Paul now believed in Jesus. He called Him Lord. He began to obey the Lord’s directives. Paul also fasted and prayed for three days (Acts 9:9, 11). However, Paul later in Acts 22 recalled what happened in the city of Damascus that day that he called on the name of the Lord. In Acts 22:16, Paul recounted how Ananias, the preacher, came to him and said, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). Paul believed in God, believed in the Bible, saw Jesus in a vision, talked to Him, believed He was Lord, and fasted and prayed for three days, but he still had not called on the name of the Lord. He still had his sins. They had to be washed away. Jesus told Paul/Saul that he would be told what he must do. Ananias was dispatched by the Lord and told Paul/Saul to get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

This last phrase, “calling on the name of the Lord” shows that baptism was this appeal to the name of Jesus. After all, baptism is in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5). We ought to let the Bible define and explain its own expressions rather than placing our own notions on the text. It is clear in Acts 2 and Acts 22 that ‘calling on the name of the Lord’ involves baptism, the appeal to God for the forgiveness of sins.

-Mark Day

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Flatwoods Church of Christ
PO Box 871
2100 Argillite Rd.
Flatwoods, KY
41139

606.836.4207

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