The Brothers Karamazov

The Brothers Karamazov

I recently read the book The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It is an impressive literary work that touches on religion, law, psychology, and philosophy. The author sets forth three brothers. One is a Russian-Orthodox Christian, another is an atheist, and the third is an egotist.Brothers Karamazov

The atheist believes that “all things are lawful,” since God does not exist, including things like murder. The Christian holds that “every man is a debtor to all” meaning that we must take other people into consideration. The third brother is caught between the two. Dostoyevsky takes both beliefs from the apostle Paul. “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Is Paul saying that a Christian may behave however he wants? No. This expression is about living lawfully. For example, eating food is good if one is not a glutton. The Christians has everything in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:21-22).

The second expression, “every man is a debtor to all,” comes from Romans 1:14, “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.” In this context, Paul is speaking specifically about preaching the gospel, but there is a broader application. To be a Christian is to live for others because that’s how Christ lived His life. We owe everyone a Christ-like life because Christ gave His life for us. Philippians 2:4 says, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

At the end of the book, the egotist goes to prison for murder, the atheist drives himself insane, and the Christian lovingly consoles a family that has lost a child. Which life would you choose?

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Points from Joel

Lessons from Joel

Recently, I taught the Lesson: Rethinking Joel.  The lesson below focuses on four points from Joel.  Those concepts are:

    • We Need Thankfulness, Honor, Respect
    • God is Our Shelter
    • God’s People aren’t Powerless
    • God Will Not Leave the Wicked Unpunished

Hopefully, you will find these thoughts helpful in your study of Joel.  While this lesson is a little less information packed than the first, I hope you find it edifying.  God has given us all of the Bible for our learning.  What he has given us is not simply a collection of stories.  It is history.  That which has happened and should now guide how we approach our lives.

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Stories: One of the Saddest…

Stories: One of the Saddest…

There were about seven of us sitting in a local restaurant telling tales, as men are known to do. We laughed together as some of the men shared embarrassing fishing stories. At some point the conversation drifted from fishing and trucks toward the more serious topic of families and children.

I had been conducting a series on the family in their local congregation, and it was obvious some of the material was weighing heavy on these older men. Within a few minutes they began opening up their hearts.saddest story

One of the men began to tear up and shared the story of his son. He told me that when his son was young, they were at the little league field 3-4 times per week. He told me they practically lived at the ball field. His son was talented, and he progressed into high school and college ball. He was a phenomenal pitcher.

This heartbroken father shared with me that his son ended up being a professional baseball pitcher in MLB for 11 years. If I shared his name many of you would probably recognize it.

But then this older man went on to tell me he had not talked to his son in about 2 ½ years. The mom of this ball player had passed away, and her funeral was the last time they talked together. It was obvious this father longed to hear from his son.

He went on to share with me how his son had left the church in pursuit of his professional dreams. He told me his son lived in a mansion filled with all kinds of expensive toys—but those toys came at a huge expense. With tears in his eyes, he admitted that the cost of chasing professional baseball had ultimately cost him everything—including his relationship with his earthly father and his heavenly Father.

I will likely never forget hearing him loudly proclaim: “I wish my son had never picked up a baseball.”

You could have heard a pin drop. With tears running down his face he finally realized that pro-ball was just not worth it.

Think about that for just a moment. Here was a dad who had invested literally countless hours to get his son in the major leagues, and yet today he was wishing his son never picked up a ball.

I asked the older man if I could share his story with others, and he said, “If it will help just one person from going through what we went through then I hope you will.”

And so, I share this heartbreaking story in hopes that some dad of a young boy out there will think long and hard about what his priorities should be. In the end, that affluent life and professional sport may end up costing the soul of your son. It’s just not worth it.

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Do you Want to be Tickled?

Tickle Me?

Today’s society wants to be tickled.  They want to hear things that appeal to them.  What appeals to them is their own traditions, beliefs, feelings, or values.

Universities which once used to be a place to challenge thought and delve deep to discover truth, now seem to promote only group think.  If someone poses a thought which is unique from other students, feelings explosion occurs!  Students weep, feel threatened, or get angry when exposed to something outside of their box of thought.  Their minds want to be tickled.  Agree with me!  Don’t terrify my mores.  Safe rooms have had to be set up for fear of enountering a different point of view.  Visiting lecturers have been protested against, threatened, or canceled because they see the world through a different set of glasses than the mind numbed students.

 

The government working with mass media and pharmaceutical companies engaged opposition fiercely during the Covid 19 years.  They told people they must lockdown, though they knew from history that such a position would be futile with covid.  They told people they must wear masks.  Though they knew that evidence from over a century of practice and study proved masks useless.  They chose arbitrary spacing distances such as six feet (completely out of the air) and expected not to be questioned.  They forced ineffective and dangerous vaccines upon citizens, hiding and ignoring trial results and mass side effects.  When doctors of great renown questioned the widespread actions, they were censored, jailed, and had their licenses pulled.

Parents have been watching the educational system melt down for decades.  Schools are not turning out well educated children in the fields of literature, mathematics, science, and technology.  Instead, they are being exposed to drag shows, make believe pronouns, gender studies, and homosexuality.  When parents try to express their dismay, they are labeled domestic terrorists.  They are marched away from the assemblies and told their parental rights end at the school doors.

Sadly, the church is not immune to the pathetic blockades of inflexible minds.  “This is what we have always done.” “We have never been taught that.” “We like the way things are now. ”  These words echo from one congregation to the next.  They are not ready to hear teaching and explore the scriptures to see if the things said are true.  They just want to hang anyone with a different thought.  They want to shut up the noise that causes them any discomfort.  Truth does not matter.  Feelings, comfort, happiness are the god they love.  Churches want to be tickled.

For the betterment of society, mankind needs to listen, to contemplate, and to investigate different thought.  They need to challenge what they believe. The need to be willing to change if it appears they have been following a path of failure and foolishness.  Only with sincere minds of patience, goodness, self control, and peace is there room for needed change in our world.  Jealousy, envy, anger, greed, and selfishness currently reign in our times and we will be none the better for it if it is allowed to persist.

 

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Assemblies of the Saints

Assemblies of the Saints

Many churches have corporate assemblies a few times throughout the week.  Hopefully, individually or in groups Christians have the opportunity to see each other socially or spiritually outside of such assemblies.  Statistically, sound, in depth, examination of scripture where the bible student is able to ultimately articulate the purpose of scripture with understanding is directly related to their attendance of Christian assemblies.  The weaker and less challenging scriptural examinations are, the more dismal the retention.  People want to know their God, understand their purpose, and know how they can engage.  If they feel they have a role or bond, their involvement increases.  This is true for all ages.  If you want to retain, truly train.  People who are challenged and learning want to gather more and walk in the light.  History demonstrates this.  They also seek out those of like mind for reasons beyond worship and study.  They do so for encouragement, comfort, and a fellowship of life.

Peter and the apostles shared the gospel on the day of Pentecost.  Thousands heard and responded, to the gospel call.  As Jews were converted to Christianity, they were excited.  They wanted to talk and share this moment with others!  So, they willingly spent day after day listening to teaching at the temple and discussing these amazing times over meals at their homes.  No one commanded them to assemble together like this, they did it because they were in awe of the moment (Acts 2:42-47).  Their minds were engaged with the joy of Christianity.  The yoke was easy; the burden was light.

Historically, Jesus rose on the first day of the week (Mark 16:9).  He had told his disciples to remember Him in the partaking of fruit of the vine and unleavened bread (Luke 22:19).  This commanded practice was observed by the first century Church on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).  It was discussed by the apostle Paul in I Corinthians 11 and the day became known as the Lord’s day (Revelation 1:10).  Writings outside of scripture by Ignatius, Irenaeus, Origen, Justin Martyr, Clement, and others noted the first day assembly and partaking of the Lord’s supper.  Durations of these gatherings were from brief to lengthy and occurred in either morning or night.  The Christian practice to gather to remember Christ on the first day of the week is the only specific example of a time to gather given in scripture.  All others were based upon choice or chance.  The yoke was easy; the burden was light.

The writings of Pliny the younger (112 A.D.) suggest Sunday evening gatherings of Christians to share meals were occurring, but no second study or worship time on the first day of the week.  Following this time frame, the Church of England was noted as having afternoon services on Sundays in the 1600s.  When the puritans came to American during this era, they held second services.  They practiced it and considered themselves more pious than those churches who did not gather a second time.  How much have times not changed!  Americans began to regularly have evening meetings in the 1800s as gas lamps became available.  WWII introduced 24/7 work schedules and this brought about many evening assemblies.  After this time though, evening assemblies began to decline.  Even with innovations such as “Life Groups” the trend proceeded downward.  Second or third assemblies on the first day of the week have not been a prevalent occurrence throughout history, nor did the Lord or His apostles every mandate such.  The yoke was easy; the burden was light.

Midweek gatherings are evident in the immediate aftermath of the day of Pentecost.  Acts 2:46 and Acts 5:42 record the excitement of the people and the work of the apostles.  People would later gather together over persecution or need such as a lack of food.  Beyond this timeframe, it is recorded that during the middle ages, monks would gather for evening and morning prayer.  In the heart of the restoration movement (1500s), John Calvin held midweek meetings.  In the 1800’s, D.L. Moody and others held mid-week prayer meetings and preaching assemblies.   Circuit preachers and tent meetings brought about many mid-week services.  As with the Sunday evening services, WWII saw the increase in many mid-week assemblies by women whose husbands were off to war.  However, when the men returned, mid-week and second Sunday services again fell off and have been on the decline for decades.  Consciously or unconsciously, this was a closer return to the first century.  The yoke was easy; the burden was light.

The increase in gathering with WWII has been mentioned a couple of times so far.  The time frame was one of peril or potential peril.  Family life was disrupted.  Lives were lost.  Faith was challenged.  Times were threatening.  The unique times drew people together.  In the first century, close to 70 AD, the Hebrew writer spoke of coming persecution.  Prophecy had pointed its finger at that time.  In Hebrews 10:24-25, the call was for the Jewish saints to assemble together more frequently as the danger of that day grew near.  Spend time with one another, love one another, encourage one another, help one another.  Do not let one another forget who Christ is and why He died.  Do not turn back to Judaism in the face of this great threat.  This was not a command for more corporate worship.  This was a call to assemble in any way possible with Christians who may not be alive much longer due to the threat of the Roman armies.  Lift them up, do not let them leave the faith.  In times of trial or persecution, modern day Christians should likewise seek out one another for social and spiritual strength as first century Christians were encouraged.

When taking a peek at history, services beyond the commanded first day of the week to remember Jesus in the Lord’s Supper have always been optional and based upon time and conditions.  There will always be those who feel that gathering more frequently makes them more pious than others.  There will always be those like the Pharisees or Boston movement who want to regulate every part of a Christian’s life with the nice sounding theme of “it’s for your own good”.  However, no individual or group of individuals has the authority to bind or lose what God has not already done so in heaven.  Do not allow guilt to be laid upon your shoulders by mandates of fleshly motives.  If you desire to assemble more frequently with fellow Christians in small groups or large, socially or spiritually, in homes or central locations, may God bless you in your walk.  Do not neglect what God has commanded and embrace with joy what He has left to your free will.

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