Remember

Remember Egyptian Bondage or Remember His Death?

It is obvious that Jesus went to the weekly gathering of the Jews in the synagogue. What most have failed to see is that the synagogue assembly on the Sabbath was never observed in the Old Testament. Synagogue worship began when the Jews were scattered by the Babylonian captivity in 536 B.C., and it was devised as a way for Jews to spend time together. Worshiping together on Saturday began a thousand years after God commanded to “remember the Sabbath.”

God revealed that the purpose of the Sabbath rest day was because the Jews had been slaves and had no rest. On each Saturday after they left Egypt they were to rest (Deut. 5:14-15). It was a holy day when an entire nation ceased working.

When Gentiles were united with the Jews under a new covenant, the bondage in Egypt had little significance. The New Testament does not command even one Christian to “remember the Sabbath.” There is something every Christian is commanded to do. In that upper room, Jesus told the disciples He would eat the Lord’s Supper with them in the church (Matt. 26:18). His command was, “Do this, in remembrance of Me.” Christians are not commanded to remember a day given to the Jews to remind them of a time when they had no rest. There is another event which is far greater for us to remember—His death and the salvation of the world found in His blood. The remembering of Egyptian bondage of the Old Testament is not worthy to be compared to the greatest day of history—the redemption of the world at the cross.

The apostles revealed when the church was to assemble to eat at His table. Study Paul’s first letter to Corinth. There was a time when the entire church assembled at the same time (1 Cor. 11:18; 14;19, 23, 26). Chapter 14 shows that in this assembly there was singing, praying and preaching (inspired preaching called prophecy). Chapter 16 shows that there was also giving when they assembled. Look carefully at chapter 11 to see Paul’s rebuke of them for not having the Lord’s Supper and then his instructions about how to properly eat the Lord’s Supper. The central purpose of their coming together was to eat the Lord’s Supper (11:33-34)!

Chapter 16 shows what day of the week they assembled. It was Sunday! We must do the same today. The Lord commanded us to remember Him at His table. The apostles show us how God revealed to them the day it should be done.

Sunday is not a holy rest day like the Old Testament Sabbath (rest) day. However, it is the day we fulfill His command to assemble and eat His supper. He commanded us to remember Him and then showed us how to do it!

Posted in Dan Jenkins | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Remember

The Meaning of Life

What is the meaning of life, the universe and everything? For millennia, man has tried to answer this basic question. During the Renaissance, philosophers began to believe that man could, beginning with just himself, find his own answers to this great question. Over time, though, man has discovered that he cannot do this. Instead of turning his mind toward a spiritual answer, today’s man has determined that there is no answer at all. An author named Douglas Adams accidentally came up with the right answer to this great question. In his Sci-Fi series, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, he gives his answer.

In the “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, all the great philosophers of the galaxy came together and tried to answer that question. After much debate they could find no answer, so they built a super-computer named Deep Thought to compute the answer. After Six Million Years, long after the galaxy had forgotten what the question was, Deep Thought came up with the answer. It was Forty-Two! I can tell you that we know this is the correct answer! Forty-Two is the answer to the great question of life, the universe, and everything, just not the way Mr. Adams meant it.

Douglas Adams was an atheist and, as such, he did not believe that there is an absolute standard. He, like his fellow humanistic philosophers, came to the conclusion that there is no meaning to life, the universe, and everything. Therefore, he picked for the book what he thought was a purely arbitrary answer. His arbitrary answer is as good an answer as can be found, if God does not exist.

Christians know that God does exist, and that His Two Testaments, written by about Forty different men, contain the answer. Thus, Forty-Two, otherwise known as the Bible, has the answer to the great question of life, the universe, and everything. As far as man is concerned, this great question can be broken down into three basic questions: “Who am I?”, “Why am I here?” and “Where am I going?” The Bible contains the answer to all of these.

The first question, “Who am I?” is answered in the book of Genesis. In chapter 1:26-27, we learn that we were created in the likeness of God. We were not created in a physical likeness to God, because God is a spirit and has no physical body, but we are like God in that we have an immortal soul. We have within our physical body a spiritual soul that will never cease to exist, somewhere.

The second question, “Why am I here?” is summed up by Solomon in Ecclesiastes 12:13, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole of man.”  Solomon taught that we are here to glorify God through our obedience to Him. Jesus states our two greatest reasons for existence in Matthew 22:37-39, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

The third question, “Where am I going?” is the most important one of all, for we know that this world is not our home. We all know that we are going somewhere. We are all going to either one of two places, depending upon which path we take. Which path we take depends upon which guide-book we choose to follow. If we adopt “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” as our guide book, we will end up some place we never wanted to go, just as Arthur, the protagonist of the Hitchhiker’s trilogy, ended up at the “Restaurant at the End of the Universe.”  To him this restaurant was an eternally boring and weird place.

In reality, the destination we will find if we follow the godless philosophy behind the “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is one of eternal fire and damnation. However, if we adopt the Bible as our guidebook, we cannot fail to reach the other destination: Heaven.

Posted in Jack McNiel | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Meaning of Life

Materialism

Materialism

On September 28, 2004, the federal mint released a brand new fifty-dollar bill.  The new bill, which was unveiled in April 2004, has subtle background colors of red and blue, along with a blue-silver star. While the appearance of the bill had many new features, one thing that has not changed can be found on the back. Prominently displayed above the picture of the federal capital building will be the words “In God We Trust”—words that are found on most American currency.

Those words first appeared on the 1864 two-cent coin after Congress passed the Act of April 22, 1864. The motto was partially the result of increased religious sentiment exhibited during the Civil War. Many individuals wrote letters to then Secretary of Treasury, Salmon P. Chase desiring that America acknowledge its dependence on Deity in some form or fashion. The barrage of letters prompted Chase to write James Pollock, director of the Philadelphia mint, encouraging him to prepare a motto. In a letter dated November 20, 1861 Chase wrote:

Dear Sir: No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins. You will cause a device to be prepared without unnecessary delay with a motto expressing in the fewest and tersest words possible this national recognition.

Having received the mint director’s proposal, Secretary Chase wrote back on December 9, 1863 altering Pollock’s initial proposal to “In God We Trust.” After the Act of April 22, 1864 passed, Congress approved another on March 3, 1865, allowing the mint director (with the Secretary’s authorization), to inscribe the motto on all gold and silver coins that “shall admit the inscription thereon.” The words “In God We Trust” have appeared uninterrupted since, on almost all of America’s coinage. Almost 100 years later, in 1956, the 84th Congress passed legislation establishing “In God We Trust” as the national motto of the United States. The following year, in 1957, the phrase began appearing on paper money.

Interestingly, the idea of paying homage to Deity on American currency can be traced back to times long before 1865. Coins from the 1780s—just after the Revolutionary War—known as Constellatio Nova Coppers, also gave credence to God. These coins typically featured an “eye” on one side, with rays stretching out to thirteen stars, which represented the thirteen colonies. The eye represented the all-seeing “providential eye” of God. Thus, the rays symbolized God’s looking down on each of the new thirteen colonies. That same eye can be found today, sitting on top of the pyramid on the back of the one-dollar bill. The eye is located just under the Latin words, Annuit Coeptis—which means, “He (God) has favored our undertakings.” This all-seeing eye suggests the importance of divine guidance in favor of the American cause.

How foreign that phrase seems in a country filled with materialism. Many individuals place their real trust in things, bank accounts, or investment accounts. At what point will America really put their trust back into God? What will it take for “In God We Trust” to be more than just a familiar “catch phrase?” Could it be, that as more and more currency rolled off the press, Americans lost more and more trust in God and placed it instead in the freshly printed bills?

Posted in Brad Harrub | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Materialism

Happiness

What Is God’s Plan for A Happy Life?

Happiness can be very difficult to describe for many. Though we desire to have happiness for ourselves, some search the world over, but are still unable to find happiness in life. Why is it that the multitudes do not find peace, tranquility and happiness? Could it be that they are seeking in all the wrong places, such as riches, fame and popularity? Each time these are obtained, they are found to be empty in regards to lasting happiness and real joy in life. We need to notice that these are the things of an outward nature, while we need to realize that God’s formula for happiness comes from within our hearts. God does have a place by which all can find happiness, but He promises it from His perspective and not from our own.

The keys for true happiness can be found in the thoroughly furnishing Scriptures given by God (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3). We receive happiness and peace in life by being sure our actions are in harmony with God’s Word. With this said, let us notice six types of individuals who seek to find a happy life.

1. Some want to be in the family of God without being born again, which is an impossible way to happiness (John 3:3-5). Instead of being saved by faith only, Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). The inspired apostle Peter said, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Peter 1:22-23).

2. Some want to be happy without seeking the grace and peace from Jesus, which is only found in Him and His church (Philippians 1:2; 2 Timothy 2:1). We must focus our lives on forgiveness and hope if we are to find lasting happiness (2 Timothy 1:1-2).

3. Some want happiness without being thankful, for the gracious blessings of salvation, the talents given to us to use and the church built and purchased by Jesus (Ephesians 1:3; Romans 1:21-22; Philippians 1:3-5).

4. Among others things, people are privileged souls, who many times will not and do not submit to the Master of life, Jesus Christ (Luke 6:46; Matthew 7:21-29).

5. These, who attempt to find happiness, refuse to live a humble and faithful life, following the attitude and mind of Jesus (Philippians 2:5). They think too highly of themselves and their importance, to bow their knee in confession to the King of kings and the Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15). Such an attitude makes folks miserable as they wallow in their self-pity.

6. Many think they will find happiness in always complaining and murmuring at the providence of God (Philippians 2:12-14). These hold grudges against their fellow-man and are upset by every small thing that happens to them. This attitude is guaranteed to bring misery, not happiness (Philippians 4:6-7).

God has assured us that if we seek in the right way, happiness will be found. This happiness will not be in the form of money, cars and homes. The happiness that God provides is found when we bring ourselves in harmony with His word. Let us all follow His word as it guides us through life and leads us to a home in Heaven with our Creator.

Posted in Robert Notgrass | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Happiness

Worship in Song

The Design of Worshiping in Song

In Isaiah 55:8-9 God says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Many use this passage to speak of God’s ineffable and inscrutable attributes.  There are other passages that teach such (e.g., Job 26:14, Romans 11:33), but this verse is not speaking of those things.  Rather, these verses teach that it is God’s purposes that are so much higher than man’s, and with human wisdom alone it is impossible to know God’s purposes.

In contrast, the general trend of religious thought today is that man’s purposes are God’s purposes.  And perhaps this is seen most clearly in contemporary “Christian” music, the primary design of which is to stir human emotion to such a fevered pitch that weeping, wailing, crying, caterwauling, and the so called ecstatic state are produced.  These emotional outpourings satisfy human purposes because they are quintessentially human.  Worship, however, must move beyond the human and into the divine in order to be true worship.  “God is a spirit, and they that worship him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).

Turning our attention to God’s design for worship in song, we find that emotional fulfillment has little (if any) to do with New Testament teaching on the subject.  First, all Christian music is music produced by the human voice alone.  This in and of itself should rebuke the contemporary cacophony of choruses accompanied with the multitudinous mechanistically manufactured modulations.  Such artificially produced reverberations doubtlessly bring praise to human prowess, but do not glorify God; indeed such exaltation of human righteousness is without submission to the righteousness of God (Romans 10:2-3).

The lips, mouth, tongue, and voice, however, are God’s design, and when accompanied by the melodic stirrings of the heart, another of God’s creation, they harmonize with resonance divine (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16).  We see, then, that one great purpose of worshipping God in song is to bring glory to Him by the instrument of His creation; it is God who gives us the songs in the night (Job 35:10).  He is not worshipped by manmade things, but is the ever giving God who brings musical harmony to our whole being, heart, soul, and body (Acts 17:25).

Hebrews 13:15 reveals that by cultivating the “fruit of lips” we “offer the sacrifice of praise to God.”  Such sacrifices cannot come forth from leathern tympanis, wooden organs, or brazen strings – only the “fruit of lips” will suffice.  Praises to God must be sung, because praises to God can only be spoken in words, the “fruit of lips.”  The principles of sacrifice found in the Old Covenant teach us that God deserves the best, that sacrifice must personally cost us something, and that one must be wholly devoted.  Singing is the only musical act of worship that satisfies all of these principles.  The “sacrifice of praise” is a purpose that must be honored in our singing.

Another great purpose of singing is found in Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  When we sing the words of Christ, we teach and admonish.  So many contemporary lyrics fail to provide this needed aspect of Christian music.  Songs of the New Testament period were originally composed to instruct, and even rebuke.  Today we have few songs in our songbooks that employ these didactic tools.  The contemporary “Christian” composers have left this purpose behind in their quest to glorify man.

What is the place of emotion in singing?  Human emotions must flow out of the God given purposes that are fulfilled in song, and must never be the object of our worship.  If the singing rebukes, we should feel ashamed.  If the singing exhorts, we should feel edified.  If the singing is glorifying God, we should feel humbled, awestruck even.  Whatever the particular intent of the individual song, the goal is to empty ourselves unto God in fulfillment of His purposes first, and, like the obedient eunuch, the result will be that we will go on our way rejoicing (Acts 8:39).  God’s design for worship in song is for His praise glory and honor, and our instruction and rebuke.  May we ever seek to fulfill God’s design.

Posted in Kevin Cauley | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Worship in Song