Month: August 2022

Christ’s Command to His Disciples Still Confronts the Church Today

A HUNGRY WORLD

Christ’s words point to a hungry world, ” … give ye them to eat.” This is our world, the world of men and women, of boys and girls; the world of Africans, of Asians, of Americans, of every nation and tribe that inhabits the globe. This world is hungry; hungry for words of life and liberty and light; but in it there is no bread available to satisfy the famishing spirits of men.

THE URGENT TASK

The divine command points out an urgent task, ” … give ye them to eat.” To feed these hungry spirits is the great need of our times. It is not sufficient that we educate the masses, but that we evangelize them. “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?” (Luke 11:11-12). Hungry stomachs need bread, not bones; hungry hearts need God’s Word, not man’s theories.

A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

This command points up a personal responsibility, ” … give ye them to eat.” The church of Christ is composed of individuals; therefore, the church as such will never fulfil her responsibility in the matter of feeding a hungry world until each individual Christian faces his own responsibility in the matter. Upon each believer there devolves this responsibility of getting the Gospel to the ends of the globe.

” … give ye them to eat.” Unless I deliberately close my eyes, I cannot but see the hungry world. The task is urgent, for “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:7). Am I facing and accepting my responsibility in doing my part in the urgent task of feeding a famishing world?

“I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” (Revelation 3:8)

There is nothing more depressing or more devastating than to feel that life is over – – that it has nothing in store for you. But, life is never over for the Christian. We are the children of God and have eternal life in us, even here in this present world. Jesus told the church in Philadelphia. “Behold, I have set before thee an open door.” This is an immortal promise made to all who choose to follow Jesus.

1. THE OPEN DOOR OF SALVATION

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Tim. 1: 15). Through the riven side of the sinless Son of God, the door of salvation was opened, and He has swung open

that door, saying, ‘Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely” (Rev. 22: 17). Jesus tasted “death for every man” (Heb. 2:9). You may walk through this door while it is open. Don’t delay. Someday, it will close for you, and then there will be no hope

2. THE OPEN DOOR OF THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE

There is a land of power and victory for the child of God. Jesus said, ”Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8). This was a promise to the disciples, but in Acts 2:38, Peter said, “This 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.” The door of the spirit filled life is open to you and me. “Be ye filled with the Spirit”(Eph. 5: 18). Nothing, and no one, can keep you from being filled with the Holy Ghost, except yourself.

3. THE OPEN DOOR OF SANCTIFIED SERVICE

We are saved to serve our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The service of the Lord must be done by sanctified, or set apart, servants. We can never carry on heaven’s business in the energy of the flesh. It is only after one is filled with the Holy Ghost that he is able to be a witness and work for Jesus and worship God in an acceptable way. The door of sanctified service is open to all who are saved. Enter in!

–Bill Bryant

• Text:         I Corinthians 14:7-9.
• Intro:
  • There are 6 little words of only one syllable in the Bible, yet though seemingly unimportant, they convey some of the greatest truths in the universe.
  • These 6 little words are
    • SO,
    • LO,
    • HO,
    • NO,
    • GO,
    • WOE.
  • Let us make these little words a big part of our life:
• 1.   SO = to a SURPASSING DEGREE.
  • ‘For God SO loved the world that he gave.’ (John 3:16).
    • ‘SO’ describes the greatness of God’s love to all mankind.
  • a) God’s part: – loving and giving.
  • b) Man’s part: – believing and receiving eternal life.
    • ‘Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God.’ I John 3:1.
    • ‘We love him because he first loved us.’ (I John 4:19).
      • Even if we don’t love God, He loves us.
• 2.   LO = to DRAW ATTENTION TO.
  • ‘Then said I, LO, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God’. (Hebrews 10:7).
    • These words “LO, I come”, excite heaven, make devils tremble, and make believers rejoice because the Son of God has come.
  • If Christ had not come, there would be:
    • no salvation,
    • no hope,
    • no forgiveness of sins,
    • no peace,
    • no justification,
    • and no heaven,
      • just sin, darkness, judgment and hell.
  • ‘LO’ gives hope to the sinner.
    • We need to draw people’s attention to the fact that Christ has come, died and rose again for the sins of the world, and eternal life is available.
  • ‘LO’ tells of Christ’s voluntary coming to earth.
    • Christ came to fulfill Old Testament prophecies, and to be the sacrifice for our sins.
    • Let us draw people’s attention to Christ’s sacrifice for their sins.
• 3.   HO = SURPRISE, TRIUMPH, INVITATION to salvation:
  • ‘HO, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money: come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.’ (Isaiah 55:1).
  • HO = a word of invitation to salvation full and free,
    • ‘without money and without price’ (to us), yet ‘with a price’ (to Christ).
      • ‘For ye are bought with a price.’ (I Corinthians 6:20).
  • Jesus paid the full price for our salvation.
    • If we know that price, we dare not ‘neglect so great salvation.’
• 4.   NO = ABSENCE OF.
  • ‘There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus.’ (Romans 8:1).
    • NO CONDEMNATION is great news to a convicted sinner.
      • a) Where is there no condemnation? – In Christ Jesus.
      • b) To whom is there no condemnation? – To them which are in Christ Jesus.
      • c) When is there no condemnation? – NOW.
      • d) Why is there no condemnation? – Because the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all – Isaiah 53:6.
  • Romans 8 begins with ‘no condemnation ’(8:1) and ends with ‘no separation’ (Rom. 8:35-39).
    • See John 5:24.
• 5.   GO = MOVEMENT FROM A PLACE.
  • “Go and preach the gospel to every creature.” – Mark 16:15
  • “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them…..” Matthew 28:19-20).
  • “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.” – Mark 5:19
  • “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” – Luke 14:23
  • This is a command from Christ to His disciples to go and tell.
    • Let us respond to Christ’s call by saying “Here am I, send me”. (Isaiah 6:8).
• 6.   WOE = AFFLICTION, BITTER GRIEF, CALAMITY, CURSE ON.
  • The Apostle Paul said – ‘Yea, Woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.’ I Corinthians 9:26.
    • There are millions of people that are searching for the truth of God.
    • They need someone to show them.
  • “If thou forbear (abstain from) to deliver them that are drawn unto death..’ Proverbs 24:11-12.
    • If you are really saved, you’ll want to see others saved.
    • If you really know the Lord Jesus, you’ll want others to know Him, and live like Him.
    • If you really know something of heaven, you’ll want others to go there.
    • If you really know the power of the Gospel, you’ll say with Paul in Romans 1:14-16, “I am a debtor, I am ready to preach the gospel, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.”
• Conclusion:
  • SO = to a SURPASSING DEGREE
  • LO = to DRAW ATTENTION TO
  • HO = SURPRISE, TRIUMPH, INVITATION to salvation:
  • NO = ABSENCE OF.
  • GO = MOVEMENT FROM A PLACE
  • WOE = AFFLICTION, BITTER GRIEF, CALAMITY, CURSE ON
• Q:  Is your life communicating the messages of these 6 simple words?
  • Get saved now.
  • Live for Christ.

The problem with many so-called Christians today is that they only believe the Holy Bible as long as it does not infer with their lifestyle. Yes, they believe that you are saved by grace through faith not of works. They believe Christ died for theirs sins and only a person’s faith in Christ’s shed blood pays for all their sins and keeps them out hell.

When they come to such verses as ^“ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6:17, many will choose to ignore it because it interferes with some of their ungodly lifestyle activities. How about this one, ”Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

The problem is many Christians have so much of the world and the things of the world in them that they have become comfortable down here. You see believing every word of the Holy Bible would make you feel uncomfortable. Most will attend churches where you are never challenged to examine self and see how you match up with the Words of Almighty God. Most become offended very easily when you mention what the Holy Bible says about some of their lifestyle choices.

The words of God tells us, Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (Psalm 119:165) So, when someone claims to be a Christian and are easily offended by what the scriptures say about their lifestyle then the problem is they do not love the words of God. However, they love the words of the feel-good preaching they listen to every Sunday. They love the words of their favorite so-called Christian personality they listen to on so-called Christian radio and television.

The words of God say, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) Notice the verse says “…all things are become new.” This includes your lifestyle as well. Has your lifestyle previous to your salvation passed away and are you truly a new creature in Christ or are you someone that claims to be a Christian but your lifestyle reflects the world and the things of world?

I. Mind your tongue! Do not let it speak hasty, cruel, unkind, or wicked words.

2. Mind your eyes! Do not permit them to look at wicked movies, books, pictures, or objects.

3. Mind your ears! Do not suffer them to listen to wicked speeches, songs, or words.

4. Mind your lips! Do not let tobacco foul them; do not let drugs enter them; do not let strong drink pass them; do not let food of the glutton enter between them; do not let foul words proceed through them.

5. Mind your feet! Do not let them walk in the steps of the wicked.

6. Mind your heart! Do not let the love of sin dwell in it; do not give it to Satan, but ask Jesus to make it His throne.

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” Philippians 2:5).