Facing the Storm
With the threat of Hurricane Dorian, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster ordered mandatory
evacuations along the state's 190-mile coast and opened up evacuation routes heading west.
Six-year-old Jermaine Bell is set to celebrate his 7th birthday on September 8. His family has been
saving up money for a trip to Disney World. Hurricane Dorian cancelled that trip.
But Jermaine had an idea. "The people that are traveling to go to places [the evacuees], I wanted
them to have some food to eat, so they can enjoy the ride to the place [where] they're going to
stay," Bell told WJBF.
So Jermaine and his family used some of the money for their trip to Disney to buy and prepare hot
dogs, chips, and water to give to evacuees fleeing from the South Carolina Coast. Last Tuesday, the
family set up beside Highway 125 in Allendale, SC, which is about 90 miles west of Charleston. They
made two signs offering the meals to those evacuating. They served about 100 people.
When faced with a storm, this 6-year-old South Carolina boy traded in his birthday trip to Disney
World to give away free food for Hurricane Dorian evacuees. He thought of others, not himself.
Jesus Christ faced the storm of all storms: the wrath of God against sin - not His own sins, but our
sins. As He faced this storm, He thought of others, not Himself. He gave His life on the cross to
suffer the wrath of God so that we don't have to.
Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. Therefore My
Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but
I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This
command I have received from My Father" (John 10:11, 17-18).
"He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for
righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24 NIV).
"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in
Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Jesus died for us so that we could have the forgiveness of our sins and receive the gift of eternal
life (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 6:23).
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). He will
continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).
When faced with the "storm" of God's wrath against sin, Jesus thought of you and me, not Himself.
He gave His life for us, so that we might live with Him for an eternity.
Won't YOU accept His offer on His terms?
~David A. Sargent
* Information gleaned from "Boy, 6, uses money saved for Disney World trip to help Hurricane Dorian
evacuees in South Carolina" by Travis Fedschun, www.foxnews.com
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Tuesday, August 27, 2019
What does baptism do?
Baptism and New Life
Romans 6:1-14
David Anguish
Introduction
1. One thing I liked about teaching school is that there are more opportunities for starting over. A new year begins about the time the rest of us go into a holding pattern for next year's resolutions. The semester break gives both students and teachers a chance to make some changes, to get a fresh start. At the least, you get two fresh starts every calendar year.
2. We can start over outside of school, too. Most of us are glad about that. Nearly everyone wants a chance for a do-over. Sensitive souls want the same thing spiritually.
a. "While belonging to a new realm, the believer brings with him into it many of the impulses, habits and tendencies of the old life, a constant threat to putting into actual practice the realities of our new realm status" (Douglas Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, 352).
b. We know that, though a defeated foe, sin has not given up attacking us (cf. 1 Peter 5:8). We live in tension between who we want to be and the reality of the temptations we continue to face.
3. As we struggle with this tension, we are inclined to lament, "If only I could lay sin to rest!" Romans 6 shows that we are ahead of the game because we have already done so—at our baptism.
Body
I. In Search of the New Way.
A. The New Testament is about newness and a fresh start in Jesus.
1. He established a new covenant (1 Corinthians 11:25; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Hebrews 8:8, 13; 9:15; 12:24).
2. He replaced old hostile relationships with "one new man" (Ephesians 2:14).
3. He gave us a new way of serving and relating to God (Romans 7:6; Hebrews 10:20).
4. He enabled us to start over in the way we live, to put on a new self, with a new life and new priorities (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 6:15; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10; 1 John 2:7-8; Romans 6:4).
B. The overriding problem we have to overcome in being new creatures is sin.
1. Romans is especially valuable for understanding the seriousness of the problem, for Paul talks more about sin in Romans than in all his other letters combined;[1] in doing so, he presents a more complete understanding of what sin is and does.
a) That doesn't surprise us since we understand that God is opposed to sin.
b) But, we tend to think of "sins" (bad thoughts and deeds); Paul sees a bigger problem.
2. In Romans, especially in 5:12-8:3, Paul seldom speaks of "sins" (only at 3:25 and 7:5 and in quotations at 4:7 and 11:27), but rather of "Sin" as a personified force.
a) Sin entered the world (5:12), has reigned through death (5:21), and can rule or lord it over a person (6:12, 14), acting like a master who pays wages (6:16-23).
b) "In 7.8-11 sin is likened to a living being (the serpent of Genesis 3) or a cunning enemy which seizes its opportunity and builds a bridgehead within weak humanity" (Dunn, 112). (Cf. Genesis 4:7 where sin "crouches at [Cain's] door.")
3. In Romans, "sin" is more than misdirected religion, self-indulgence, or specific wrong deeds,[2] it's an independent power that gets us in its grips and pushes us away from God.
a) "'Sin' is the term Paul uses for a compulsion or restraint which humans generally experience within themselves or in their social context, a compulsion towards attitudes and actions not always of their own willing or approving" (Dunn, 112).
b) "It is that power which has caused countless individuals of good will but inadequate resolve to cry out in deep despair: 'I can't help it,' 'I can't fight it'" (Dunn, 112-113). Cf. 7:14-25.
(1) This does not diminish personal responsibility—see 7:14-23 where Paul describes the tension—but does show us that will power over certain misdeeds and bad attitudes will not suffice to resolve the problem.[3]
c) Romans 3:9 summarizes the problem: all are "under sin."
C. What can be done about Sin?
1. Paul's answer is "grace," centering in the new Adam (Jesus) and given according to the enormity of sin in each life (Romans 5:14-21).
2. But exactly how does grace work?
a) One answer—and history shows it to be not at all far-fetched[4]—is to try to obtain as much grace as possible by not worrying about holding sin in check (5:20; 6:1; notice that the same Greek word [πλεονάζω, pleonazō], translated "abound" and "increase" in the ESV, is used in both verses).
b) Paul rejected that answer out of hand (6:2), and then issued an imperative that they should stop letting sin rule their lives and should instead keep yielding themselves (and their members) to God's way of righteousness (6:12-13).
c) But this imperative is not a matter of human determination, but of cooperation grounded in the spiritual reality that they were no longer under sin's power (6:14), having been brought from death to life (6:13) and therefore made "dead to sin and living to God in Christ Jesus" (6:11, literally translated).
II. When They Died to Sin.
A. In verse 2, Paul makes his point: we cannot continue to live in sin because we died to it.
B. The importance of this death to sin is spelled out beginning in verse 5.
1. Death to sin came when we were united with Christ in his death and resurrection (v 5).
2. The purpose (seen in the conjunction ἵνα, hina, "in order that", v 6) of our old selves being crucified with him (a synonym for dying with him) is to bring "the body (σῶμα, sōma, the self) of sin" to nothing (aorist passive subjunctive of καταργέω, katargeō, make ineffective, powerless; abolish, set aside) (v 6), thus setting us completely free of sin (v 7; literally "acquitted" — perfect passive of δικαιόω, dikaioō; cf. Romans 3:4, 20, 24,26, 28, 30; 5:1, 9; etc.).
3. Verses 8-10 underscore the importance of being united with Christ, and especially his death and resurrection.
a) Paul makes two connected points.
(1) It is only in dying with Christ that we will live with him (v 8).
(2) This is as permanent for us as it was for Christ (vv 9-10).
b) "Paul is telling us, then, that the historical events of the saving work of Jesus have their counterpart or fulfillment in a specific historical event in the life of every Christian,..." (Jack Cottrell, Baptism: A Biblical Study, 80).
C. Verses 3-4 tell us that we died to sin when we were baptized.
1. Remember his premise: we died to sin (v 2).
2. Anticipating their question, "when?" he asks, "do you not know" (present tense) what happened when you were baptized?
3. Verse 3 declares what happened.
a) Notice what verse 3 does not say (see Cottrell, 77-79).
(1) That the deaths of everyone benefitting from the death of Christ occurred when he died and was raised 1900 years ago (a view popular among those who hold to a view of limited atonement of the pre-ordained "elect").
(2) That death occurred the moment the heart turned to God in faith and/or repentance.[5]
b) What Paul does say—twice (vv 3, 4)—is, when you were baptized, you were united with Jesus in his death and resurrection, setting you free from sin as surely as he was set free from the death that Sin effected.
4. But that is not all Paul says: verse 4 makes it clear that the purpose (again, the conjunction ἵνα, hina, "in order that") of this baptismal death was so that we could walk (subjunctive) "in newness of life," the life to be found in being united with Christ.
III. Significant Things to Understand About Baptism.
A. Baptism is the point in time when our participation with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection brings about the "change within us that breaks the grip of sin upon our hearts and makes it possible for us to live a life that is holy and pleasing to God" (Cottrell, 82).
1. His point "is not that the believer in baptism is laid in his own grave, but that through that action he is set alongside Christ in his" (G. R. Beasley-Murray, Baptism in the New Testament, 130).
2. This is not something in addition to faith, but is a definite commitment of faith (cf. Romans 5:1).
B. Since we did not physically die as Jesus did, we understand that baptism is a symbolic representation of the deeper reality of being united in Christ where we find new life.
1. But, it is not a symbol of "a reality that has already occurred" (Cottrell, 81).
2. Rather, it is an external symbol that "occurs simultaneously with the spiritual reality it is symbolizing . . . the death and burial of our old life . . . and our resurrection to new life. It is a reality that occurs because we are 'baptized into Christ'" (Cottrell, 81).
C. The goal is not to "get baptized," or even to "get into the church" (though the latter goes with it since the church consists of all who are saved - cf. 1 Corinthians 12:13); rather, the goal, as the phrase "in order that" in v 4 shows, is to enter newness of life (Cf. Moo, 366).
1. This life is empowered by the realities of the new age.
2. This life is also expected to reflect the values of that new age (cf. vv 11-14).
Conclusion
4. For years, I have turned to this text when asked the question, "do you think you have to be baptized in order to be saved?" Simply by reading the text, and asking what Paul thought and what he wanted the Romans to understand I have seen students visibly moved as they wrestled with this text's implications.
5. That's because of the straightforward power of what it says. That death to sin is possible. That a new beginning can happen for all of us. That we have the power to sustain us even as sin continues its hopeless attack on our lives.
6. We believers need to remember what happened at our baptism and what that means in terms of the way we are to live. Any who have not done what they did should seize the opportunity to get out from under sin. Die with him. Rise to new life. Why not be baptized now?
August 2, 2009
[1] James Dunn notes "the astonishing predominance of the term in Romans. Of 64 occurrences in the Pauline letters, no less than three-fourths appear in Romans. Putting the point the other way round, hamartia occurs three times as often in Romans as in the rest of the Pauline corpus as a whole. Moreover, 41 of the 48 Romans occurrences occur in 5:12-8:3—an extraordinary intensity of usage" (James D. G. Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle, 111).
[2] These categories are taken from Dunn's discussion of how Paul sees the effects of sin personified. See Dunn, 114-124.
[3] As Paul emphasizes, if that were the case, the law would have sufficed.
[4] F. F. Bruce notes that "in every generation, people claiming to be justified by faith have behaved in such a way as to lend colour to this charge" and then relates the case of Gregory Rasputin, "the evil genius of the Romanov family in its last years of power. Rasputin taught and exemplified the doctrine of salvation through repeated experiences of sin and repentance. He held that, as those who sin most require most forgiveness, a sinner who continues in sin with abandon enjoys, each time he repents, more of God's forgiving grace than any ordinary sinner" (F. F. Bruce, The Letter of Paul to the Romans, Revised Edition, 127).
[5] Cottrell elaborates: "He does not say, 'Remember when you first believed' or 'Don't you know what happened when you first repented'; he does not say, 'Think about the time you bowed your head and received Christ into your heart.' He says, 'Remember your baptism!' Why should he so magnify baptism if this were not the specific point where the life-changing and heart-renewing work of God was actually accomplished?" (Cottrell, 83).
Monday, August 26, 2019
A Living Example
Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us--Philippians 3:17
Hear the instructions given to us in 2 Corinthians 13:5: "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!" Because we are weak, frail human beings we must ever be alert in our walk as a child of God lest our faith in Jesus and the precious promises of God be undermined by Satan as he seeks to devour us (1 Peter 5:8; Ephesians 6:10-18; 2 Peter 1:4-11).
The test of our faith is not found in sitting down in our easy chair in the comfort of our home and just reading chapter after chapter from the Bible. The test is not just in whether or not we attend one or more worship services of the church each week. The true test of our faith occurs each day as we go about our daily activities. In our speech, our conduct, does our family, our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers, even the stranger we pass on the street see in us that we are faithful in the commitment we made to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30)?
Do they see that we are letting our light shine before men leading them to glorify God (Matthew 5:16)? Do all those people with whom we interact see in our conduct that the word of Christ dwells in us richly (Colossians 3:16)? As others observe our conduct, listen to our speech, do they see an example of the believer in word, life, love, spirit, faith and purity (1 Timothy 4:12)? Does the world of people surrounding us see that we have set our affections on things above and are seeking those things (Col. 3:1-2; Matthew 6:19-21; Matthew 6:33)? Will self examination show that we have and are now presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1; Galatians 2:20)?
Now, I have a question for all of us to think seriously about. Based on the way we have been and are now living, will we dare say to our families, friends or anyone for that matter, "I want you to follow my example"? If you did and they did, what would their eternal destiny be? Thought provoking, isn't it?
We do not, yea cannot, live this life without having influence on other people. A faithful. consistent Christian life will be noticed, known and it will enable us to say to others: "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.--1 Timothy 1:17
Charles Hicks
Saturday, August 17, 2019
Matthew Yao
A Billionaire's Advice
If one of the richest people in the world gave you some advice, would you listen to him?
Matthew Yao, a young entrepreneur, sat down with Philip Ng, asking him to share some advice for his
friends and followers on Instagram. Philip and his brother, Robert, are worth $12.1 billion as
controllers of the Far East Organization, Singapore's largest private landlord and property
developer.
Obviously, Ng is very successful in the business world - a billionaire.
So what is his advice?
Yao, in his posted video on Instagram asked Ng, his mentor: "Uncle Philip, to all the young people
watching this, what do you think is the one piece of advice that you would give them?"
"What I've discovered is that all of us are broken," said Ng. "We all have a missing piece, and for
me, I discovered that the missing piece was God through Jesus Christ."
Ng continued: "I was always in search for a better life, a better purpose, a better me, a better
everything. I was just looking at all the wrong things, but when I realized there is no better me
or better things without Jesus, then it all snapped into place. Maybe we have to look deeper. I
treasure (my faith) more than anything so I just wish for everyone to have that peace and joy. It
sure beats a lot of money and material things that you may have."
Matthew Yao weighed in on Ng's advice: "With movies like 'Crazy Rich Asians" glorifying wealth,
exuberance and excess and Hollywood media polluting our minds., we are all too easily sidetracked
and too easily derailed from the truth and what is important in this life. But the truth is, we are
all BROKEN people and we all have a missing piece in us. We try to fill that missing piece in the
pursuit of power, money, popularity, sex, alcohol, drugs, achievement or success, and among other
things as well. [Many] have come to the same conclusion that THERE IS MORE to this life than just
these temporary things, as fleeting as these pleasures may be. That missing piece, my friends, is
Jesus Christ."
Was that the advice you were expecting?
I don't know what other advice Ng and Yao might give, but on this major point, they are right on
target!
Listen to Jesus: "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the
abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15).
Rather, the truly abundant life, and even more - eternal life - is found in Jesus Christ. What
makes this life truly abundant are the spiritual blessings that are found in Jesus (Ephesians 1:3),
blessings like forgiveness from sin (Ephesians 1:7), peace that passes all understanding
(Philippians 4:6-7), inexpressible joy (1 Peter 1:8), and the hope of eternal life in heaven (1
Peter 1:1:3-4).
All of these spiritual blessings are available to us in Christ because Jesus gave His life for our
sins so that we can be reconciled to God, find life's true purpose, and receive the gift of eternal
life (2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 6:23).
God will save and give the abundant, 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).
What's the most important thing in life? I think the richest man in Singapore speaks the truth when
he says that the most important things in life are not things; it's Jesus.
Are you listening? Will you submit your life to Jesus?
-- David A. Sargent
* Information gleaned from "Singapore's richest man says 'missing piece was God through Jesus
Christ'" by Caleb Parke of Fox News, www.foxnews.com and Matthew Yao's Instagram post.
If one of the richest people in the world gave you some advice, would you listen to him?
Matthew Yao, a young entrepreneur, sat down with Philip Ng, asking him to share some advice for his
friends and followers on Instagram. Philip and his brother, Robert, are worth $12.1 billion as
controllers of the Far East Organization, Singapore's largest private landlord and property
developer.
Obviously, Ng is very successful in the business world - a billionaire.
So what is his advice?
Yao, in his posted video on Instagram asked Ng, his mentor: "Uncle Philip, to all the young people
watching this, what do you think is the one piece of advice that you would give them?"
"What I've discovered is that all of us are broken," said Ng. "We all have a missing piece, and for
me, I discovered that the missing piece was God through Jesus Christ."
Ng continued: "I was always in search for a better life, a better purpose, a better me, a better
everything. I was just looking at all the wrong things, but when I realized there is no better me
or better things without Jesus, then it all snapped into place. Maybe we have to look deeper. I
treasure (my faith) more than anything so I just wish for everyone to have that peace and joy. It
sure beats a lot of money and material things that you may have."
Matthew Yao weighed in on Ng's advice: "With movies like 'Crazy Rich Asians" glorifying wealth,
exuberance and excess and Hollywood media polluting our minds., we are all too easily sidetracked
and too easily derailed from the truth and what is important in this life. But the truth is, we are
all BROKEN people and we all have a missing piece in us. We try to fill that missing piece in the
pursuit of power, money, popularity, sex, alcohol, drugs, achievement or success, and among other
things as well. [Many] have come to the same conclusion that THERE IS MORE to this life than just
these temporary things, as fleeting as these pleasures may be. That missing piece, my friends, is
Jesus Christ."
Was that the advice you were expecting?
I don't know what other advice Ng and Yao might give, but on this major point, they are right on
target!
Listen to Jesus: "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the
abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15).
Rather, the truly abundant life, and even more - eternal life - is found in Jesus Christ. What
makes this life truly abundant are the spiritual blessings that are found in Jesus (Ephesians 1:3),
blessings like forgiveness from sin (Ephesians 1:7), peace that passes all understanding
(Philippians 4:6-7), inexpressible joy (1 Peter 1:8), and the hope of eternal life in heaven (1
Peter 1:1:3-4).
All of these spiritual blessings are available to us in Christ because Jesus gave His life for our
sins so that we can be reconciled to God, find life's true purpose, and receive the gift of eternal
life (2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Romans 6:23).
God will save and give the abundant, 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).
What's the most important thing in life? I think the richest man in Singapore speaks the truth when
he says that the most important things in life are not things; it's Jesus.
Are you listening? Will you submit your life to Jesus?
-- David A. Sargent
* Information gleaned from "Singapore's richest man says 'missing piece was God through Jesus
Christ'" by Caleb Parke of Fox News, www.foxnews.com and Matthew Yao's Instagram post.
Monday, July 29, 2019
A Grandmother's Legacy
A Grandmother's Legacy
Phillip Eichman has written about a special book in his library:
I have a number of books but one of them in particular is very special to me. It is neither rare
nor valuable as far as books go. It is obviously old and the pages are yellow and brittle and the
cover is very worn. You can find better books at a garage sale or on the bookshelf at the local
Goodwill store. The title might help you understand a little of its value. It is called The Story
of the Bible and was written by Charles Foster. It is a children's book that contains a simplified
summary of each book of the Bible...
The value of the book for me lies in its original owner. You see, this book belonged to my
great-grandmother. She died when I was a baby and I do not remember her, but I have heard stories
about her. She and her family were Christians, but as a young woman she married a man who was not a
Christian. It was not long, however, before he became a Christian through her good example.
As children were born she began to teach them about God and his Word. She must have literally worn
out the binding of this book reading it to her children. At one point she repaired the binding with
denim material no doubt taken from the sewing box and cut from a pair of men's overalls.
My mother lived with her grandparents when she was small and remembered her grandmother reading
stories to her from the book and speaking of the God that she knew so well.
My mother grew up, however, without obeying the Gospel that she had learned about from her
grandmother. She too married and had children of her own. When we were small, however, my brother
and I knew little of God, the Bible, or churches. Other children in the neighborhood often went to
Sunday school, but we stayed home and wondered what it was all about.
Years passed and when I was twelve years old I had a bicycle accident that resulted in a serious
head injury that kept me in the hospital for more than a week. As I lay in the hospital my mother
realized from her early teaching that she was not in a relationship with God that would allow her to
pray for me and that she needed to make some changes in her life.
After I had recovered sufficiently my mother began to take my brother and me, along with my
grandmother, to Bible school and church services. Eventually both my mother and grandmother were
baptized. My father, however, did not want anything to do with churches or religion. In time,
however, he also became a Christian through the influence of my mother.
In a very real sense I owe my own relationship with God to Bible stories read from this book to my
mother when she was a child. I might easily have grown up and not known or cared about God had it
not been for the godly influence of a grandmother.
The simple act of reading Bible stories to children may not seem too exciting or important in our
fast paced world. The fact remains, however, that even though many years had passed, the seed that
was planted eventually germinated in the heart of its hearer and like a growing plant has continued
to bear fruit even several generations later.
Yes, this is a very special book, not because of its monetary value but because it connects the
members of my family who have come to know Jesus with the one who planted the seed in the mind of a
child long ago.*
My prayer is that Phillip's account will encourage YOU to read and study the Bible, and then teach
it to your children and your grandchildren. Read and study the Bible so that you and your family
can come to know Jesus and what He did for us. He died on the cross for our sins so that we can be
saved and live eternally with Him in heaven (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 6:23).
The Bible teaches that to receive this gift of salvation we must place our faith and trust in Jesus
(Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans
10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). Then,
as we continue to walk in the light of His Word, the blood that Jesus shed for our sins will
continue to cleanse us (1 John 1:7-9).
Plant the seed of the Word of God in your heart and the hearts of your loved ones. It may bear
fruit for generations to come. Just ask Phillip.
-- David A. Sargent
* From "A Grandmother's Legacy" by Phillip Eichman of Irmo, South Carolina as shared in
PreacherStuff, a resource for preachers edited by Dan Williams, Vice President for Church Relations,
Harding University.
Phillip Eichman has written about a special book in his library:
I have a number of books but one of them in particular is very special to me. It is neither rare
nor valuable as far as books go. It is obviously old and the pages are yellow and brittle and the
cover is very worn. You can find better books at a garage sale or on the bookshelf at the local
Goodwill store. The title might help you understand a little of its value. It is called The Story
of the Bible and was written by Charles Foster. It is a children's book that contains a simplified
summary of each book of the Bible...
The value of the book for me lies in its original owner. You see, this book belonged to my
great-grandmother. She died when I was a baby and I do not remember her, but I have heard stories
about her. She and her family were Christians, but as a young woman she married a man who was not a
Christian. It was not long, however, before he became a Christian through her good example.
As children were born she began to teach them about God and his Word. She must have literally worn
out the binding of this book reading it to her children. At one point she repaired the binding with
denim material no doubt taken from the sewing box and cut from a pair of men's overalls.
My mother lived with her grandparents when she was small and remembered her grandmother reading
stories to her from the book and speaking of the God that she knew so well.
My mother grew up, however, without obeying the Gospel that she had learned about from her
grandmother. She too married and had children of her own. When we were small, however, my brother
and I knew little of God, the Bible, or churches. Other children in the neighborhood often went to
Sunday school, but we stayed home and wondered what it was all about.
Years passed and when I was twelve years old I had a bicycle accident that resulted in a serious
head injury that kept me in the hospital for more than a week. As I lay in the hospital my mother
realized from her early teaching that she was not in a relationship with God that would allow her to
pray for me and that she needed to make some changes in her life.
After I had recovered sufficiently my mother began to take my brother and me, along with my
grandmother, to Bible school and church services. Eventually both my mother and grandmother were
baptized. My father, however, did not want anything to do with churches or religion. In time,
however, he also became a Christian through the influence of my mother.
In a very real sense I owe my own relationship with God to Bible stories read from this book to my
mother when she was a child. I might easily have grown up and not known or cared about God had it
not been for the godly influence of a grandmother.
The simple act of reading Bible stories to children may not seem too exciting or important in our
fast paced world. The fact remains, however, that even though many years had passed, the seed that
was planted eventually germinated in the heart of its hearer and like a growing plant has continued
to bear fruit even several generations later.
Yes, this is a very special book, not because of its monetary value but because it connects the
members of my family who have come to know Jesus with the one who planted the seed in the mind of a
child long ago.*
My prayer is that Phillip's account will encourage YOU to read and study the Bible, and then teach
it to your children and your grandchildren. Read and study the Bible so that you and your family
can come to know Jesus and what He did for us. He died on the cross for our sins so that we can be
saved and live eternally with Him in heaven (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 6:23).
The Bible teaches that to receive this gift of salvation we must place our faith and trust in Jesus
(Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans
10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38). Then,
as we continue to walk in the light of His Word, the blood that Jesus shed for our sins will
continue to cleanse us (1 John 1:7-9).
Plant the seed of the Word of God in your heart and the hearts of your loved ones. It may bear
fruit for generations to come. Just ask Phillip.
-- David A. Sargent
* From "A Grandmother's Legacy" by Phillip Eichman of Irmo, South Carolina as shared in
PreacherStuff, a resource for preachers edited by Dan Williams, Vice President for Church Relations,
Harding University.
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Nicolas Mahut professional tennis player from France
An Embrace to Remember
Nicolas Mahut is a professional tennis player from France. He began his professional career in 2000
at the age of 18. Perhaps Mahut's best known performance was a match that he played against
American John Isner at Wimbledon in 2010. The match lasted a total of 11 hours and five minutes.
It was played over a three day period. Although Mahut lost that match, he will be remembered for
playing hard in that record-breaking match.
Mahut may also be remembered for a long time for something that happened after a recent match in the
French Open.
Mahut started off his own country's tournament well, winning his first and second round matches
against Marco Cecchinato and Philipp Kohlschreiber, respectively. His third round match-up was
against Argentinian Leonardo Mayer. Mayer won the match knocking Mahut out of the tournament.
After the last game was over, Mahut sat courtside, weary and disappointed. His facial expression
changed and the crowd began clapping as someone ran across the court to Mahut. It was his son,
Natanal, age 7. Natanel embraced his Dad and whispered something in his ear. Video footage of
their encounter has gone viral on social media. As the crowd at the French Open cheered, Mahut got
up, gathered his gear, and walked off the court, hand-in-hand with his son. *
Even though Mahut lost the match, he won the hearts of many onlookers because of the love of his son
- a son who loves his father even after losing the contest.
You and I have lost many "matches." "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
(Romans 3:23). Despite our best efforts, each and every one of us has failed. Yet, there is
Someone "running across the court" to us. It's the Son of God. His Father sent Him to us to save
us from our sins (see Luke 19:10). Our sins separate us from the Father (Isaiah 59:1-2), but our
Savior reconciles us to Him (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). In order to save us from our sins, Jesus had
to die on the cross to pay the price for our redemption (Ephesians 1:7).
Jesus will save us from our sins and give us the gift of eternal life when we place our faith and
trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our 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 our sins (Acts
2:38). When we accept His offer of salvation and eternal life in this way, we are washed from our
sins and added to the family of God, the church (Acts 2:41, 47).
We will continue to struggle with sin (1 John 1:8), but we are promised that if we continue to walk
in the light of His Word that the blood of Jesus will continue to cleanse us from all sin (1 John
1:7-9). If we stray far away but realize the error of our ways, turn from them, and seek to return
to the Father, we will see Someone "running across the court" to meet us again: our Heavenly Father.
He will embrace us and welcome us back. See this truth portrayed in the story of the Prodigal Son
in Luke 15:11-32.
The embrace of the Father welcoming home his wayward but penitent son is one to remember. This
embrace can be realized in your own life, if you will only accept the Father's love and forgiveness
through your trusting obedience.
-- David A. Sargent
* Information gleaned from "French Tennis Star Nicolas Mahut's Son Runs Onto Court to Console Him
After French Open Loss" by Ashley Boucher, Microsoft News, www.msn.com.
Nicolas Mahut is a professional tennis player from France. He began his professional career in 2000
at the age of 18. Perhaps Mahut's best known performance was a match that he played against
American John Isner at Wimbledon in 2010. The match lasted a total of 11 hours and five minutes.
It was played over a three day period. Although Mahut lost that match, he will be remembered for
playing hard in that record-breaking match.
Mahut may also be remembered for a long time for something that happened after a recent match in the
French Open.
Mahut started off his own country's tournament well, winning his first and second round matches
against Marco Cecchinato and Philipp Kohlschreiber, respectively. His third round match-up was
against Argentinian Leonardo Mayer. Mayer won the match knocking Mahut out of the tournament.
After the last game was over, Mahut sat courtside, weary and disappointed. His facial expression
changed and the crowd began clapping as someone ran across the court to Mahut. It was his son,
Natanal, age 7. Natanel embraced his Dad and whispered something in his ear. Video footage of
their encounter has gone viral on social media. As the crowd at the French Open cheered, Mahut got
up, gathered his gear, and walked off the court, hand-in-hand with his son. *
Even though Mahut lost the match, he won the hearts of many onlookers because of the love of his son
- a son who loves his father even after losing the contest.
You and I have lost many "matches." "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
(Romans 3:23). Despite our best efforts, each and every one of us has failed. Yet, there is
Someone "running across the court" to us. It's the Son of God. His Father sent Him to us to save
us from our sins (see Luke 19:10). Our sins separate us from the Father (Isaiah 59:1-2), but our
Savior reconciles us to Him (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). In order to save us from our sins, Jesus had
to die on the cross to pay the price for our redemption (Ephesians 1:7).
Jesus will save us from our sins and give us the gift of eternal life when we place our faith and
trust in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our 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 our sins (Acts
2:38). When we accept His offer of salvation and eternal life in this way, we are washed from our
sins and added to the family of God, the church (Acts 2:41, 47).
We will continue to struggle with sin (1 John 1:8), but we are promised that if we continue to walk
in the light of His Word that the blood of Jesus will continue to cleanse us from all sin (1 John
1:7-9). If we stray far away but realize the error of our ways, turn from them, and seek to return
to the Father, we will see Someone "running across the court" to meet us again: our Heavenly Father.
He will embrace us and welcome us back. See this truth portrayed in the story of the Prodigal Son
in Luke 15:11-32.
The embrace of the Father welcoming home his wayward but penitent son is one to remember. This
embrace can be realized in your own life, if you will only accept the Father's love and forgiveness
through your trusting obedience.
-- David A. Sargent
* Information gleaned from "French Tennis Star Nicolas Mahut's Son Runs Onto Court to Console Him
After French Open Loss" by Ashley Boucher, Microsoft News, www.msn.com.
Friday, July 19, 2019
What do miracles do?
Signs and Wonders alone do not Prove Deity or God’s Message
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” John 3:1-2
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John 20:30-31
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs. Mark 16:15-20
Certainly Jesus’ miracles helped people to accept Jesus as sent from God, and the apostolic gospel as the word of God, but it takes more than signs and wonders to confirm God’s presence and God’s truth.
After all, false teachers and Satan’s demons also performed deceptive wonders and signs. The Roman historian and orator, Cornelius Tacitus, wrote of Emperor Vespasian healing a blind man and another with a withered arm!
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23
Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. Matthew 24:23-25
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. Revelation 16:12-14
It's the quality of the message and the messengers which the signs and wonders accompany – that’s the key.
So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. John 6:24-36
Jesus’ signs and wonders were intended to point sinners to Jesus to hear His teaching and be saved for eternity.
However, shallow people only saw in Jesus a quick supply of food or power for militaristic purposes. They did not see the signs in the context of Jesus’ claims about Himself, and then believe His warnings, promises and teachings. This was especially true of the Pharisees because Jesus was winning the crowd’s attention away from their leadership, and also attracting the wrong kind of Roman interest! John 11:45-48; 12:17-19.
The conversion of the Roman Proconsul of Cyprus is extremely educational in this regard:
So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. 9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10 and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? 11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. Acts 13:4-12
Sergius Paulus, the Roman Proconsul of Cyprus, had summoned Barnabas and Saul to hear the word of God. A magician tries to turn the proconsul from the faith, but Paul, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, strikes the magician blind. The outcome of all this was that “the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.”
Note that the Proconsul had not wanted Paul’s power, as Simon had done in Samaria (see Acts 8). Not at all. The teaching of Jesus was what had impressed him, and he became a believer. That’s how it’s supposed to work!!
If all you’re impressed by are spectacular wonders, and not the credentials of the wonder-worker, and what kind of life the wonder-worker is pointing you to, then you will fall prey to all manner of charlatans.
This is the problem with the Charismatic or Pentecostal Movements. People are attracted to Jesus for the wrong reasons. They’re after spectacular shows, quick fixes and an end to their pain. They want heaven now!
David Carr
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