David Urey

The Mission

David Urey was desperate. He, his wife, and their son were involved in an
automobile accident in West Virginia. Urey suffered only minor injuries but
his son suffered a concussion and his wife had a broken back and a severe
scalp injury. Mrs. Urey was also in her fifth month of pregnancy.

A surgeon at Grant Memorial Hospital in Petersburg, WV, told Urey he could
perform basic surgery to keep his wife alive, but she needed to see a
neurosurgeon as soon as possible. The closest one was 150 miles away at
Georgetown Hospital, and Urey's wife would probably not survive if
transported by ambulance, the doctor said.

Searching for a helicopter to airlift his wife to D.C., in desperation Urey
called the White House. He was able to explain his situation to Gen. James
Hughes, President Richard Nixon's military aide. Gen. Hughes called Lt.
Col. Abe Wolson to see if the President's helicopter could make the round
trip to WV and back to Georgetown Hospital so Urey's wife could have the
life-saving neurosurgery. Lt. Col. Wolson said that the flight was possible
so the order was given.

The rescue mission was successfully completed. "The outcome was that Brian,
their son, fully recovered from his head injury in a few weeks. Mrs. Urey
gave birth to a normal baby boy and she eventually recovered," Wolson said
proudly. *

Because of our sins, we were in a fatal condition, unable to save ourselves,
and desperately in need of rescue (Romans 6:23).

Although our sins are an offense to Him, God loves us so much that He sent
His only Son to rescue us. This divine rescue mission would demand that
Jesus give His life to pay the price for our redemption from sin (1 Peter
1:18-19). Jesus willingly laid down His life for our salvation, so that we
might live (John 10:17-18).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust
in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn away from their sins in repentance (Acts
17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will
continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His
Word (1 John 1:7-9).

The Apostle Paul extolled the glory of this rescue mission as he opened a
letter to Christians in Galatia: "Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from
the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom
be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Galatians 1:3-5).

Jesus came to rescue YOU. He will save you, if you will only accept His
offer on His terms.

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from "Abe Wolson recalls one mission worth 20 years of
service" by Don Moore in www.donmooreswartales.com.

What do pastors do?

 

WISDOM FOR PREACHING AND MINISTRY: THE OLD TESTAMENT

 

Preaching is a high and holy calling.  Nothing excels it or is more important.  The apostle Paul declared: "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom did not know God, it pleased God by the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe" (I Corinthians 1:21).  That message, of course, is the gospel of Christ, God's power to save those who will believe it and act upon it (Romans 1:16; 6:16-18).  Paul Rogers, who preached for the Lord's church in Centerville, Tennessee for almost 50 years, observed: "God only had one Son and He was a preacher."

 

Much knowledge, love, compassion, courage, and wisdom must characterize the faithful and effective preacher.  God's word is the greatest source of these resources, not the wisdom of men.  "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men" (I Corinthians 1:25).  The man who would gain true wisdom as a preacher must do so from God, not from man.  Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with choice words of spiritual counsel for preachers.  This week we will look at some Old Testament wisdom on preaching, next week we will examine some New Testament texts on preaching.  We will be as brief and as succinct as possible and make as little comment as possible, hoping that the reader will read the texts listed and draw from them the wisdom to be found in them.

 

Though not referenced in the Old Testament itself, Enoch, the seventh from Adam, was a preacher who proclaimed a powerful message of warning and judgment to those who were ungodly (Jude vv 14-15).

 

Likewise Noah, in the tenth generation from Adam, was "a preacher of righteousness" (II Peter 2:5).  While the Old Testament says little about the specifics of Noah's preaching, Peter provides some of the details and the results of Noah's preaching (I Peter 3:20).  The great thing about Noah is that he did "according to all that God commanded him, so he did" (Genesis 6:22).

 

Moses urged Israel not to add to the word of God or to take from it, nor to turn aside to the right hand or to the left (Deuteronomy 4:2; 5:32).  This same wisdom was passed on by the Lord to Joshua, Moses' successor (Joshua 1:5-9) (By all means, read these texts).

 

The prophet Samuel's message to rebellious king Saul was: "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry" (I Samuel 15:22-23).  Preachers must have that kind of boldness today and call for strict obedience to the will of the Lord.

 

When Micaiah was instructed by king Ahab's advisors to tell Ahab what he wanted to hear Micaiah boldly declared: "As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak" (I Kings 22:14).    Preachers must be motivated by such courage today.  They must not "cut" the message to please the hearers.  Instead, they must faithfully declare the word of the Lord.

 

Of Ezra it was said, "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel" (Ezra 7:10).  Note the order of Ezra's ministry – seek the Law of the Lord, do it himself, teach it to others.

 

Nehemiah, when tempted to compromise with the enemies of God, said, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down" (Nehemiah 6:3).  Pay attention, preacher friend.

 

Of the power and sweetness of God's word, the Psalmist wrote: "How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:103-104).  Do we today hate every false way?

 

Further, the Psalmist said, "Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right; I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:128).  "Your word is very pure; therefore your servant loves it" (v. 140).  "The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of your righteous judgments endures forever" (v. 160).  "My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness" (v. 172).  What great wisdom for those of us who preach!

 

The wise man penned these words of wisdom: "The way of life winds upward for the wise, that he may turn away from hell (Sheol, footnote) below" (Proverbs 15:24).  "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (16:18).  Sadly, in over 60 years of preaching, I have seen those words fulfilled many times by elders, deacons, teachers, and preachers in the Lord's church, as well as among the members. "Buy the truth and sell it not, also wisdom and instruction and understanding" (23:23).

 

" 'Comfort, yes, comfort My people!' says Your God" (Isaiah 40:1). What a tremendously important role for the faithful man of God today!  People need to be encouraged and comforted by the preaching of God's word.

 

"Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins" (Isaiah 58:1).  What another tremendously important role for the faithful man of God today!

 

God charged Jeremiah with these words: "See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant" (Jeremiah 1:10).  Faithful preaching is both positive and negative, it is not all just "make me feel good about myself."

 

When he became discouraged, Jeremiah said, "Then I said, 'I will not make mention of Him (God), nor speak anymore in His name.'  But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary from holding back, and I could not" (Jeremiah 20:9).  Talk about motivation!

 

God's words to Ezekiel contain wisdom for preachers today (see Ezekiel 2:5, 7).  His charge to Ezekiel in essence is no different from His charge to all faithful gospel preachers today (Ezekiel 3:17-21).  We too are watchmen.  We too must warn the wicked of the consequences of their lifestyle. To his credit, before Ezekiel began his ministry "he sat where they sat" (3:15).  Preachers today need to "sit where their hearers sit" and understand the things their hearers experience.  It is called empathy, identifying with our hearers.

 

God's charge to Jonah was to go to Nineveh "and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee" (Jonah 3:2, KJV) – wise words on preaching if such were every spoken!

 

Haggai's preaching was to urge God's people to "Consider your ways!" (Haggai 5:1).

 

Perhaps the crowning piece of wisdom found in the Old Testament for preachers is this: "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8). 

 

The above is but "the hem of the garment" of what the Old Testament has to offer in the way of divine wisdom and counsel for faithful and effective preaching and ministry today.  May we who preach heed the words of Haggai to Judah: "Consider your ways!"

 

Hugh Fulford

 

 

 

The Church of Christ

Celebrate the Church of Christ!
Study!
Ephesians 3:1-7

THE STEWARDSHIP OF GOD’S GRACE:

    Paul was preaching and teaching that Gentiles could become Christians and Jews could become Christians and they all became Christians based on the exact same requirements! The church of Christ, Paul writes there in 2:20, is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Christ Jesus Himself is the chief cornerstone!

    Preaching and teaching that message is the “stewardship of God’s grace” Paul is talking about here in chapter 3. But it’s not hard to learn God’s word. It’s not hard to learn the unfathomable riches of Christ and the administration of God’s plans to bring the church of Christ into existence. All we have to do is study. There is nothing especially complex or complicated about learning God’s word. If you have a 6th grade education, you can understand - you have the ability - to understand everything in the Bible that you need to understand. God saw to it that His administration of His plans was fairly simple to understand.

HOW DO WE LEARN ABOUT THE STEWARDSHIP OF GOD’S GRACE:

    “by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief” (3:3).

    “Revelation” means a “revealing,” an “uncovering,” an “explanation.” So Paul says that God’s plan to save man through a body of believers was a mystery in the OT times, but now, God has explained that mystery! He has “uncovered” the mystery.” He has “revealed” that mystery.

    But, let’s keep reading… “By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ” (3:4). The Holy Spirit does not give us insight into the mysteries of Christ in a direct way. The Holy Spirit revealed that mystery to the apostles and then, when I read his writings, then I can have his insight into that mystery.

    “in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit” (3:5).

    In other generations, from the time of Adam and Eve until the time of John the baptizer, people did not know and understand how God was working to save man in this body of believers through Jesus Christ. But, Paul says, it has now been revealed to His holy - specially set apart - apostles and prophets by the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit.

    Let’s finish this paragraph before we make a few other observations: “to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power” (3:6-7).

    Paul says again that God graciously called him to preach the gospel and God gave Paul miraculous power to use along with that preaching.

    You and I can and should study the Bible to have the same insight into the mystery-revealed wisdom of God which is consummated in the church of Christ. When we do that, we can know what are the qualities of the Lord’s church. 

    As we begin this series on qualities of the NT church that distinguish it from the yellow-pages churches, we begin with the need for each of us to be students of the word of God. Be diligent. Accurately handle the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). 

Your fellow-servant in Christ,

Cole Geise, 22, of Olean, New York

No Longer Missing

Cole Geise, 22, of Olean, New York, went missing on May 2. His family had
no knowledge of his whereabouts. An intense search ensued. Approaching two
weeks since he went missing, his family had begun giving up hope.

"You get to day 13 and you start wondering," Cole's father, Steve, told
WIVB. "You wonder and you start getting a couple negative thoughts in your
head like, 'Alright, why hasn't he been seen? Where is he?'"

Finally, Geise was spotted by a former classmate. Lyaness Batista-Benett,
who was working as a shift supervisor at Wendy's, saw Geise walk in the
restaurant last Saturday evening. "I've known Cole since second grade,"
Batista-Benett said. "I saw him walk in and it instantly brought upon this
feeling. It's him!" Others in the restaurant also recognized Geise from the
police notices that had been posted throughout the area in abundance.

Some who recognized Geise followed him at a distance and called the police.
Geise, who has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, had been
hiding out in an abandoned house. Police picked him up safely and notified
his parents. Later there was a happy reunion for the Geise family at the
police station.

Because of our sins, we've "gone missing." We were created to be in
fellowship with God, but our sins separated us from Him and all the
blessings He intends for His children (Isaiah 59:1-2). Like lost sheep, we
have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6).

But God loves us so much that He sent His Son to seek and to save us (John
3:16; Luke 19:10), like a Shepherd seeking lost sheep.

In order to save us from sin, the Good Shepherd had to lay down His life
(John 10:17-18). He died for us so that we might live (1 Thessalonians
5:10).

If we will submit our lives to the Shepherd, He will save us and bring us
into a heavenly, eternal fold (John 10:10; Romans 6:23).

Jesus said, "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.
Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost
sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his
shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together
and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in
the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who
repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent"
(Luke 15:4-7).

The Good Shepherd will save and give eternal life to those who place their
faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will
continue to cleanse from sin and keep safe those who continue to walk in the
light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

Lost sheep, won't you come home to the Shepherd?

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from "Good Samaritans reunite New York man with family
2 weeks after going missing" by Peter Aitken of Fox News, www.foxnews.com.

Type O Negative blood

The Universal Donor

If you ever find yourself, either by virtue of illness or injury, in need of
a blood transfusion, you'd better hope your local blood bank has a good
supply of a compatible blood type.

According to INFO PLEASE:

Human blood is grouped into four types: A, B, AB, and O. Each letter refers
to a kind of antigen, or protein, on the surface of red blood cells. For
example, the surface of red blood cells in Type A blood has antigens known
as A-antigens.

Each blood type is also grouped by its Rhesus factor, or Rh factor. Rhesus
refers to another type of antigen, or protein, on the surface of red blood
cells. Blood is either Rh positive (Rh+) or Rh negative (Rh-). About 85% of
Americans have Rh+ blood.

Blood types become very important when a blood transfusion is necessary. In
a blood transfusion, a patient must receive a blood type that is compatible
with his or her own blood type - that is, the donated blood must be accepted
by the patient's own blood. If the blood types are not compatible, red
blood cells will clump together, making clots that can block blood vessels
and cause death.

Type O Negative blood is considered the "universal donor" because it can be
donated to people of any blood type.

Because of our sins, each of us is in a fatal condition, "for the wages of
sin is death" (Romans 6:23). We need a type of "blood transfusion."

God loves us so much that He gave His Son to die on the cross for our sins
(John 3:16). The blood that Jesus shed in His death has paid the price for
our redemption from sin: "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7).
Jesus is the only "universal donor," for only the sinless Son of God could
pay the price for our sins with His blood (1 John 2:2).

In order to have His cleansing blood applied to our lives, we must place our
faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). The
blood of Jesus continues to cleanse the child of God from sin as he
continues to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

"The life of the flesh is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11). Our physical
bodies can't live without blood. Even so, salvation and eternal life are
found in the blood of Jesus (Romans 6:23).

The Apostle Peter wrote to Christians: "For you know that it was not with
perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the
empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the
precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (1 Peter
1:18-19).

Won't YOU appropriate the cleansing blood of Christ through your trusting
obedience?

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from "Blood Types" in www.infoplease.com

.

Mart Green ministry investment officer of Hobby Lobby

That the World May Know

Mart Green is the ministry investment officer of Hobby Lobby and founder of
Mardel Christian & Education, a book store and education supplier with a
Christian focus. Green is involved in a mission to help translate God's
Word into every language in the world, so that each and every person can
read the Word of God in his/her own language.

In a recent article in www.foxnews.com, Green shared an encounter with a man
that renewed his focus of trying to get the Bible into every country and
language:

I'd been supporting a painstakingly laborious Bible translation project in
Guatemala and began to question my "return on investment." It seemed to me
I'd put a considerable sum of money into a project that would benefit just a
few hundred people, or a few thousand at most.

To be honest, I was a bit cranky when I got off the uncomfortable 10-hour
bus journey to attend the ceremony marking the completion, at last, of the
translation of the Bible into the Eastern Jakaltek language - an endeavor 40
years in the making.

Then I saw Gaspar - and my life changed forever.

Gaspar, one of the local people, was sobbing with sheer joy as he took the
Bible, his own Bible in his own language, into his hands. I'd never held a
Bible like Gaspar did - as if he were grasping the most precious item in the
world.

Now, how will you hold your Bible?

The Bible is the most precious item in the world because it is God's Word.
In its pages, God reveals Himself to us. We can read and study about who
God is and know His will for us. Through the Scriptures, we learn how much
God loves us: that He gave His only Son to die on the cross for our sins so
that we can be reconciled to Him and live with Him for eternity in heaven
(John 3:16; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21).

God has revealed in His Word that He will save and give eternal life to
those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from
their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans
10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of
sins (Acts 2:38). God's Word teaches that as we continue to walk in the
light of His Word that the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us from all
sin (1 John 1:7-9).

In his research, Green learned that "more than a billion people - speaking
some 3,800 different languages - have little or no access to the Bible in a
language they can clearly understand. More than 2,000 languages don't yet
have a single verse of Scripture." So he has resolved to do something about
it, so that the world may know God and His will for our lives.

"This movement is especially significant as we remember that heaven and
earth meet at the point of God's Word," says Green. "The Word became flesh
and lived among us - Jesus, the Living Word - giving you and me the hope of
everlasting life through His resurrection, and leaving us with the great
commission to share the Gospel with every creature and make disciples of all
the nations (Matthew 28:16-20)."

Please pick up your Bible. Think of Green and Gaspar. Treasure the Word of
God. Read it and heed it. It will change your life, forever.

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from "Mart Green: Mission of biblical proportions -
this is how we're taking God's Word to every corner of the world" in
www.foxnews.com, accessed April 16, 2021.

I Know Why You're Here

I Know Why You're Here

Kevin Blue writes about an experience that a friend experienced one summer
while he was ministering among the poor on a six-week urban project with a
religious organization in Los Angeles, California. Blue writes:

Part of his assignment was to spend time in a convalescent home in the
central part of the city... This convalescent home was smelly, understaffed
and poorly kept. Few residents had visitors. For a new guest arriving to
serve the residents, it was very awkward. Some residents were mentally ill;
some were not responsive at all. Others were even hostile. Members of
Johnny's team were struggling in the first few days with why they had been
called to serve there. "Why are we here?" "This is depressing." "We can't
do anything to help." Such remarks began to be made openly.

One day, after Johnny had been there for about a week, an elderly woman
slowly walked up to him in the hallway where he was standing. She drew
close and pointed a finger at him. "I know why you're here," she said in an
accusatory tone. She paused as my friend looked at her, wondering what this
was about. Realizing he didn't know what she meant, she went on. "I know
why you're here," she said again. "You're here because God wants us to know
he hasn't forgotten about us."

The woman turned and shuffled away. Johnny was stunned. Another team member
was so moved she nearly cried on the spot. By the end of that summer, many
of that team cried as they left the friends they had made, because in many
of those relationships they had found something of the kingdom of God. *

Imagine someone walking up to Jesus during His earthly ministry, pointing
his finger at Him and saying, "I know why You're here. You're here because
God wants us to know that He hasn't forgotten about us."

That statement is true.

Jesus came to this earth to reveal God to us (John 1:14). He came to reveal
the love God has for us (John 3:16). He came to show us that God has not
forgotten about us and that He has not abandoned us because of our sins. In
fact, Jesus came to save us from sin.

Jesus stated the reason for His coming: "For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). In order to save us, He had
to die on the cross for our sins (Ephesians 1:7).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust
in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts
17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). God will
continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His
Word (1 John 1:7-9).

One day, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him. He said
(essentially) to Jesus, "I know why You're here." John said, "Behold! The
Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).

Jesus came to inform us that God has not forgotten us. He came to save us.
He came to save you.

Won't YOU accept His offer of salvation and eternal life by submitting your
life to Him?

-- David A. Sargent

* Kevin Blue, Practical Justice: Living Off-Center in a Self-Centered World,
InterVarsity Press, 2006, as quoted in www.thepastorsworkshop.com.