A Salute to the Faithful

By Norman Pence

Much of the writing, preaching, and visiting that is done today is directed toward the weak and unfaithful. Too often, we do not take time to salute those who are faithful to Christ and His teaching.

There is no sufficient way to show appreciation to those members who have remained “steadfast and unmovable” (1 Cor. 15:58) throughout the years. But you are to be commended for your faithfulness and attendance, even when other activities are taking place that you would normally attend. Whenever work needs to be done, we have come to know that, regardless, you will make the necessary sacrifices to be there and help in any way you can. It is a joy to be around and worship with Christians who display that loving willingness that says, “I am willing to do any and everything I can to help.” Your active desire to grow spiritually has encouraged others to have the same desire. Your love for lost souls has provided ways for many to be taught the truth and become active citizens of the Kingdom of God. Your faithful life has helped weak Christians to wake up, confess faults, and once again become not only hearers of the word, but doers also. You are the ones that constantly encourage the faithful teachers and preachers to remain firm in the truth, and we thank God for people like you.

You are also appreciated because you demand no special attention or praise to keep you happy and faithful in your service and assemblies for Bible study and worship. It’s not necessary for you to have your name mentioned from the pulpit or even written in the bulletin in order for you to make visits, help with the sick and shut-ins, or to invite friends to worship. You count it a blessing to have the opportunity to serve the Lord. You are a shining example to all that see you. And we believe it can be said of you that you are sincerely “seeking first the kingdom of God” (Mt. 6:33).

May God continue to bless you who labor so faithfully. The church will continue to grow because of you. Please don’t give up and thank you for your enduring efforts for Him.

The Serpent in The Wilderness

By Paul Earnhart

The Old Testament is not a law for us to keep today.  Colossians 2:14 says that Jesus took it out of the way and nailed it to His cross.  God speaks to us today in the New Testament.  That does not mean, however, that the Old Testament is worthless.  It is essential to the understanding of the New.  Jesus used many examples from the O. T. to teach us about Himself.  In John 3:14-15, Jesus said “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  Without the O. T. that would make no sense.

When we turn back to Numbers 21, however, we find God’s people in the wilderness traveling toward the land that God had promised them.  God was providing their needs, but instead of appreciating it, they complained.  God was displeased with their grumbling and sent fiery serpents among them so that many Israelites died.  When they pled with God for relief, God gave the following instructions to Moses: “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a standard and it shall come about that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he shall live.” (Num. 21:8)  Moses made a serpent of bronze and did as God said, and those who looked upon it were healed.

Now you will agree that this was a strange treatment for snakebite.  We understand, of course, that the bronze serpent did not heal them.  It was God who healed them.  He healed those who had faith enough to look upon the serpent.  It was altogether God’s doing; their part was to simply believe.

Today, all of us are the victims of another serpent…Satan.   He has tempted us all and we all have sinned.  Sin is more deadly than snakebite.  We cannot cure ourselves.  But Jesus came and died on the cross and, by looking to Him in faith, we can be healed.  Just as their faith saved them WHEN THEY OBEYED GOD BY LOOKING AT THE SERPENT, our faith in Jesus saves us when we obey Him.  James 2:26 says, “…faith without works is dead.”

Jesus Baptized

By Paul Earnhart

When Jesus was about 30 years old, His cousin, John the Baptist, began his preaching campaign.  “Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Mt. 3:1-2). John was preparing the way of the Lord.

Mark records in Mark 1:4-5 that John’s preaching included “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.” 

Verse 9 tells us that “in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” (Mk. 1:9)  John was actually reluctant to baptize Jesus.  John’s baptism was “for forgiveness of sins.”   But Jesus had no sins, so “John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?’  But Jesus answering said to him, ‘Permit it at this time, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness’” (Mt. 3:14-15).

From the very beginning of the mature life of Jesus, we see His firm determination to do everything God wanted done.  Coming to John for baptism was not a convenient thing for Jesus.  In fact, He had to walk about 60 miles from His home to get to the place where John was baptizing.  He did not need baptism, as others did, for the forgiveness of sins.  But John was a preacher from God, he was preaching baptism, and Jesus wanted to do whatever God wanted people to do.  Do you want to do God’s will enough that you would walk 60 miles to do it?

Jesus has commanded baptism for us (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38).  Many people, however, hesitate.  Some do not feel it is necessary; others complain that it is inconvenient.  Such excuses are not Christ-like.  He was determined to “fulfill all righteousness.”  Are you?

When Jesus Was Baptized

By Paul Earnhart

Mark records the baptism of Jesus in these words: “And it came about in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heaven opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: “This is My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased.”  (Mk. 1:9-11)

There are some interesting things here.  One is the fact that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan river-not near it, but in it.  Furthermore, He came up out of the water after His baptism.  The word baptize means “to dip, to plunge, to immerse.”  If Jesus was not immersed in the Jordan, there was no point in His going into it.  Did you come up out of the water after you were baptized?

Another thing is made very clear…what Jesus did was approved by Heaven.  The Holy Spirit descended upon Him as a dove, and God spoke in a voice from heaven, confessing Jesus as His Son.

The confession that God made is one that we all must make if we are to be saved.  Rom. 10:10 says, “For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.”  All men will eventually confess Him.  Phil. 2:9-11 tells us that “God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

How much better to confess Him now…while we live…and be saved, than to wait until it is too late when we confess Him when He comes in judgment.  If this confession is to be valid, however, it must be backed by complete submission and obedience to Him as God’s Son.

The Parents of Jesus Went to Worship

By Paul Earnhart

Jesus was the Son of God, but He was entrusted to earthly parents when he came to live on the earth.  Parents can learn much by observing Joseph and Mary, the two individuals with whom God entrusted his Son.

Luke 2:41 tells us that His parents used to go to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.  Going to Jerusalem each year was not easy for them. It involved a journey of 50 miles or more each way, a journey which they most likely made on foot. This meant that they had to abandon their occupation and lose the income for more than a week. Then they had to go to the extra expense of spending a week or two away from home. The Law required it, so they did it.

And that was only one of three feasts which the Law required them to observe in Jerusalem. We may be sure that if the parents of Jesus went for one, they went for all.  Such obedience was a good example for Jesus.  But they were not content simply to give Jesus a good example.  They took Jesus with them.  In Luke 2:42-52, we read about one of those journeys which they made when Jesus was 12 years old.

Some parents do not involve their children in religious activities.  They say, "We will just wait until our children are old enough to decide for themselves what they want to do about religion." Such parents do not let the children decide what they will do about going to school or about coming home at night, but they want to let them decide about religion. God did not entrust His son to parents who reasoned that way.  Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them.  And in Jerusalem he demonstrated a knowledge of the scriptures which indicated that those parents had had Him in weekly synagogue worship and had taught Him God’s word even at home.

Are you that kind of parent? Do you take your children to worship faithfully?  Do you teach them God's word in your home?