What must I do to be saved?

Soccer in the town of Alton, Illinois, as in many communities across the U.S., is a beloved activity.  But for now that activity has been altered. A few days ago a sinkhole suddenly formed, and a massive area in the middle of one of the soccer fields dropped out of sight.  A nearby camera captured the moment: a tall light pole suddenly dropped vertically, and a cloud of dust went up in the air.

It didn’t take long to identify the reason for the sinkhole’s appearance.  A limestone mining operation is located 150 feet underneath the area.  Though mining engineers are constantly at work, the foundation of the soccer field was no longer there.  It may be a while before the fields are again open for use by Alton’s residents.

The story reminds us of an incident in Numbers 16.  Korah was one of the leaders of the tribe of Levi, and he and others spearheaded an effort to replace Moses.  Moses, of course, was the Lord’s chosen leader, so they were not just opposing the man.  Moses led the people to the tent of Korah and his family and called for the Lord to do “a new thing” to show who was His choice to lead the people.

Numbers 16:31-33 tells the dramatic account: “… the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods.  So they went and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly.”

The large hole in Alton, Illinois is still there.  The sinkhole in Numbers 16 mended itself immediately, and I suspect one could not tell a hole had been there.  That’s “a new thing”. God had spoken!

The real problem on that occasion was the undermining taking place, not in the form of digging soil and rock, but by spreading discontent and bitter words.  Korah and his associates were causing the people to doubt the abilities of Moses and his right to lead them.

Psalm 11:3 should be considered as we meditate on this idea: “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”  In verse 1 of that psalm foes challenged David to “flee as a bird to your mountain”; they didn’t regard God as capable of helping David, so run home, little David!  But if the foundation of trust in God’s power to deliver His people is destroyed, what will those people do?

The world works hard to undermine the faith of Christians.  They scoff at the idea of a Creator while trying to seriously propose chance evolution as the reason our universe exists.  They tell us that we’re following an outdated set of ideas, and we need to catch up with the rest of the world.

Our task is to keep our faith strong.  1 John 5:4 makes this clear: “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.  And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.”  Pay less attention to the world, and more – much more! – attention to God.

Come to the light God offers!  Study His word, the Bible.  Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24).  Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright, 2024, Timothy D. Hall

The apostle Peter taught Christians in the first century to live differently from their non-Christian neighbors: “For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:3-5).

China endured a five-decade long war from A. D. 207-265, referred to as the “War of the Three Kingdoms.” During this period of time, there was a general named Cuko Liang. Liang was known as the “Sleeping Dragon.” He had a way of presenting an unassuming appearance, but he could be very clever and won many battles.

One of Liang’s chief antagonists was named Sima Yi. They fought many times. One time, Liang rested in a small village while he sent his vast army to a distant camp. Li heard where Liang was and marched against the village with 150,000 troops. This scared Liang’s men. However, Liang knew he had a reputation.

The men lowered their flags in the village, open the city gates, and everyone hid except Liang. He sat on the wall in a very visible location, put on a Taoist robe, lit incense, and sang to a lute. When the soldiers of Li approached, and they stretched across the horizon, Liang ignored them and continued his strumming and chanting.

Because Liang presented himself with such confidence and with no fear, he intimated Li. Eventually, Li ordered his men to retreat. He would not attack the “sleeping dragon.”

Christians do not have to cultivate a reputation of being fearful. But we do need to cultivate a reputation for being godly and reverent both toward God and toward His word. When I was in high school I did not work on Wednesday nights. One day my assistant manager called me Wednesday afternoon to beg me to fill in. I responded that I needed to be in Bible class. She persisted, as did I. Eventually, she retorted, “Paul, you don’t think you will go to hell for missing one Bible class, do you?” I said, “I don’t know about that, Mrs. Watson. But if I come in tonight, next week you’ll ask me again and you’ll say, ‘You don’t think you will go to hell for missing two Bible classes, do you?’ I am not coming in.” Mrs. Watson never asked me to work on Wednesday night again.

“A good name is to be more desired than great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold” (Proverbs 22:1). Have strong convictions and don’t be afraid to be known for them.

Paul Holland

Today and Lord willing, next week, we will give some consideration to what is typically referred to as the Parable of the Wedding Feast.  Jesus liked to teach using parables. In verse 2 of our text, Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to.” In other parables He says, “The kingdom of heaven is like…” (see Mt. 20:1). Jesus is taking a concept that is well understood and using it to make a spiritual concept more relatable. We often say that a parable is an earthly story that has a spiritual truth.

The Gospel of Matthew, and parables themselves, give us great insight into the kingdom of God. Take a moment and read what Jesus says about His kingdom in Matthew 22:1-14.

THE REJECTED INVITATION (22:1-7)

The story that Jesus tells is about a king who is providing a wedding feast for his son. It is important to note that this is not just any wedding. This is the wedding of a king’s son, a royal wedding. You could imagine the magnitude or grandeur of such a festivity. To be invited to an occasion like this would be very special, a true privilege.

So the king sends out his servants to extend invitations to this great feast, but astonishingly, those who were chosen refused to come. It’s not that a few refused to come, but they, all of those invited, refused.

So the king sends out his servants again with a stronger plea. Who would have guessed that would have been even necessary? Such a rejection would be a very strong insult to the king. The message of the servants in verse 4 as they go out this time is: “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” Preparation has been made. Everything is ready except those who have been invited are not present.

Amazingly, they had other things to do. They carried on with life as usual.  They had farming and business to take care of. Well, some actually took hold of the servants who invited them,  treated them disrespectfully and even killed them. And when news of this arrives back to the king, now he is furious and sends his army to burn and destroy their city.

As we begin working through the spiritual parallel between this wedding feast and the kingdom of God, remember to focus on what Jesus is seeking to teach. He is not teaching that His kingdom is like a wedding feast in every respect. A little care and a little context goes a long way in interpreting a parable.

First, let’s very briefly look back to the previous parable (usually referred to as the Parable of the Tenants) in Matthew 21:33-45. The parable is about a master who planted a vineyard, leased it to tenants and then sent servants to get its fruit while he was away. However, the tenants beat and killed the servants. Then the master sent his son, and they killed him. In verse 42 Jesus relates this to the fulfilling of prophecy in Psalms 118:22-23 where the prophet wrote: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

Now please also note with me verses 43-45 in Matthew 21 where Matthew records:

“Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him. When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them.”

This is all pretty clear, even to the hard-hearted Pharisees. The master is the Father in heaven. The servants He sent are the prophets. The son is Jesus. And the tenants are the chief priests and Pharisees.

Well, the Parable of the Wedding Feast seems remarkably similar, right? Who is the king? The Father. Who is the son? Christ. Who are the servants? The messengers of the kingdom. What is the wedding feast? The blessedness of the kingdom. Who is it that rejected the invitation to the wedding feast? The unbelieving Jews.

The Jews were God’s special people chosen to bring Christ into this world, and they got tripped up over Jesus! They rejected the feast, and they would be held accountable.

Note what the king does in verse 7: “The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.” What was their city? The city of the Jews was Jerusalem. What happened in A.D. 70? The Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem including the temple. (See Mt. 24:1-2.) This marked a decisive end to the temple and the Jewish system.

Next week we will notice where the parable goes from here, and then consider some applications.

Daren Schroeder

When his mother was imprisoned and forced to abdicate the throne, James VI became king of Scotland in 1567 at one year of age. When Queen Elizabeth I of England died childless, a search was made for the next in line to the throne.  It was discovered that James was a descendent of one of Henry VIII’s sisters, so he became the King of England in 1603.  He is considered one of the most intellectual, yet controversial men to rule England.

He is best remembered for his authorizing and financing a translation of the scriptures we know as the King James Version of 1611.  Just think; had his mother not gone to prison, or had not Elizabeth I died childless, or had he not been related to Henry VIII, the world may have never been blessed with the KJV Bible. Was this a coincidence or God working in the affairs of men?

I think God has done much to assure the preservation and spread of his Word. He wrote the first words of scripture with his own finger (Ex. 31:18), His word became flesh and lived among us (Jn. 1:14) and remains “living and active today (He. 4:12).” God’s Spirit used kings, shepherds, and fishermen to pen these mighty words, then used Kings, archeologists, and scholars to ensure their survival!

-Dennis Doughty

When I was in the fifth grade, I was spanked by one or other parent three times in the same day. I don’t recall experiencing that distinction before or after that specific day. It was a Saturday and the day began with Dad changing the oil in the car. I was riding my bike around the driveway and he warned me not to ride around the oil pan or I might spill the oil. I thought to myself that I was careful enough – and I fell into the oil pan. And dad spanked me. At the time, I thought he was unfair because it was an accident!

Nursing a grudge later in the morning, Mom asked me to set the table for lunch. I was slinging the plates on the table. Mom told me if I threw one of the plates on the floor and it broke, I would get (another) spanking. The very next plate that left my hand slid across the table and landed on the floor and broke. It was an accident! I got spanked a second time. I don’t remember why but I do remember having been spanked a third time in the same day.

Sometimes kids have bad days. Sometimes parents have bad days. Listen to the words of Solomon: “Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances” (Prov. 25:11).

To help offset those bad days, parents should consider highlighting those good days. When your child has had a good – done his or her chores, brought home good grades, especially if he or she has made improvement in some virtue they have been developing – make a “big deal” out of it. Encourage them for their effort, for their change, for their work, for their attitude. Encourage them for whatever they have done that has helped make that specific day a “red letter day.”

Then, when they have a bad day, it will help them realize that every day is not a bad day. You can even point back to that “good day” as an example of what he or she can do. Also, as you evaluate a “good day” and a “bad day,” encourage your child not to make an important decision when they are having a bad day!

All of us need to hear a “good word fitly spoken.” Fill your child’s days with apples of gold in settings of silver. They’ll have plenty that aren’t.

Paul Holland

In my childhood I was introduced to Mr. Potato Head.  Introduced in 1952, the toy was originally designed to use an actual potato.  It was the first toy to be advertised on television, I learned from a Wikipedia article.  After all these years it remains a popular toy for young and old, with a large number of variations and pieces that regularly are released / sold to collectors.

Declan McFerrin of Northern Ireland recently claimed his first Guinness World Record by assembling the eleven pieces of Mr. Potato Head in 5.15 seconds.  He was .28 seconds faster than the previous record-holder, Lim Kai Yi of Malaysia.  We’re confident McFerrin’s record will be toppled.  No doubt some are already honing their skills in speedily piecing together this celebrity spud.

Adam was the first “Mr.” to be pieced together; Genesis 1:27 records that event: “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).  It took place on the sixth day of creation, so it was a skillful piecing together of hundreds of parts that resulted in “a living being” (Genesis 2:7) named Adam.

Centuries later David reflected on the marvel of the human body: “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well” (Psalm 139:14).  Truly, God’s work in designing bodies of flesh is astonishing; it’s one of many signs of the greatness of God.

Someone might object that human bodies are mortal; they are doomed to failure after several years.  But that’s not the end of the story.  In Ezekiel 37 we are brought to a valley filled with human bones, obviously the scene of a battle where many soldiers had died.  Ezekiel is told to prophesy to the bones: “… as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.  Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over” (Ezekiel 37:7,8).  Finally, breath was put into their lungs and a great army stood again.

Putting together a few pieces of a toy potato in just over 5 seconds is impressive, but what happened before Ezekiel’s eyes was a feat that tops all others!  It was a sign that the nation of Judah would be restored to their homeland.  But it’s also assurance to us in the 21st century.

Jesus prophesied of our future: “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28,29).  That statement includes you and me, and all who have ever lived.  God will reconstruct decomposed bodies in a matter of moments.

How amazing is our God!  How important it is that we serve and honor Him!

Come to the light God offers!  Study His word, the Bible.  Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24).  Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Copyright, 2024, Timothy D. H

Paul, as he made his way back to Jerusalem, stopped at the port of Miletus to meet with the elders from Ephesus. In that meeting, he warned them of trials that would present themselves to the church from within and from without. He also shared with them some of the trials that would face him personally. Paul said, “And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me…” (Acts 20:22-24).

We later know that in the following chapters that Paul would be falsely accused, imprisoned, assassination attempts were planned against his life and at one point he was almost torn to pieces by a Jewish mob. It is interesting to note that in the face of all this, Paul would say that “none of these things move me.” If we stood in the place of Paul knowing that we would face all this cruelty, would we rethink our Christianity? Maybe you would. Maybe you would not. All of us would like to think that we would stand strong like Paul so that our faith might bring hope to others.

Yet, how often is it true that we give up our faithfulness to God for things much less trying. How many people have stopped going to church because of the biting words of another Christian? How many people have settled for a second-rate worship service on TV because someone spoke an unkind word to them in the aisle. How many have given up gathering with the saints all together because others did not do things the way they wanted them done? Such things are small in the face of the trials Paul endured for the cause of the cross.

Paul faced chains and tribulations, yet he said that “none of these things move me.” “Move me” how and from what? “Move me” indicates the idea of being shaken inside, frustrated, or upset. He thus would not be “moved” away from accomplishing his mission in Christ Jesus. When one becomes a Christian, one affirms to themselves and others that their life-long focus will be their faithfulness to the cause of Christ and His word, the Bible. Yet so often many do not carry through with that commitment. They have been “moved” away from their original focus. They have paused or even stopped their faith. They have been “moved” by things far far less than Paul endured. I am convinced that there are more “Christians” sitting at home on Sunday morning than there are in worship because they have given up their faith. These are things that would boggle the mind of Paul and even God who loved us so much that He gave His Son to die upon the cross to redeem us from our sins.

I understand what it is like to face people who are unkind and judgmental. I know what it is like to be hurt. We all have faced injustices even from God’s own people. Not everyone who professes to be a Christian lives up to their full potential. Others simply do not care since they are more motivated to live a self-centered life than a Christ-filled life. However, none of these things should “move” us from the promises we have made to our God. God must become bigger in our eyes than the hurts that others cause us.

If you would like to renew your commitment to God and get things started right in this new year, why not let us know.

Roy Knight

First, God’s word: “Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed When they speak with their enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:3-5).

Parents, our first and primary responsibility is to get our children ready for heaven! It is to get them prepared to stand before the judgment seat of Jehovah God. Sports will not do it. Music lessons will not do it. Social clubs will not do it. It is very disappointing to see parents (especially dads) who think kids involved in sports is the end-all and be-all of parenting. If your kids do not have a relationship with Jesus, everything else was wasted time!

Also, do not leave Bible-training to the church, its Bible classes nor its youth program. They can supplement but they cannot replace. Also, do not leave all the Bible-training in your home to your wife! If kids see mom as the instructor and not dad, they will grow up thinking that religion is for women and not men. Don’t let Satan use that as an excuse to lead your children away from Christ!

Teach your children that Bible reading and its stories are relevant. Constantly ask your children, “What do we learn from this?” When you read the OT stories, I also suggest that you have a passage from the NT as the support for the principle or ethic which you are studying. In that way, you help teach your children that the NT and Jesus’ teachings are our authority today. The OT stories only illustrate the points made in the NT.

Help your children see that Bible reading and study are exciting! There are many, many stories in the Bible which grab our attention and challenge us in our thinking. There is nothing on TV or in the movies that is as relevant to human life and experience as the stories God recorded in the Bible.

Challenge your children to look at the “human” side of the people in the Bible. How might Paul have felt when he was beaten and left for dead because he was preaching the Bible? Questions like this help children see the reality and the relevance of the Bible’s stories. Share some of your own struggles and challenges as well; if you have trouble understanding a text, be honest.

I read that one dad created a “commentary” when he and his children read the book of Proverbs. He wrote out some titles, like “Money” and “Relationships” and as they read through the book, they wrote down appropriate verses under each heading.

Parents, never forget where you want your children to go when they die. Parent with that end in mind.

Paul Holland

Contrary to what might appear from listening to the generic Protestant, there are lots of false teachers in the world and in the church. Anything that does not conform to Christ’s revealed message is false. We often say (correctly) that one sin makes one a sinner (see James 2:10). Wouldn’t it be just as accurate to say “one false teaching makes one a false teacher?” At least in that regard? What that suggests is that every Bible student but especially public teachers need to be extra vigilant that what we teach is consistent with Christ’s teachings (see James 3:1).

The whole chapter of 2 Peter 2 is dedicated to condemning false prophets who teach “destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves” (2:1). Incidentally, please observe that this one verse destroys the idea that one can’t fall from grace… Notice that these men “denied the Master who bought them” – so we know they were saved – and they bring “swift destruction upon themselves” – so we know they are now lost!

In Acts 20:30, Paul warned the elders of Ephesus: “from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.” False preachers stand in the pulpit because shepherds have shirked their responsibility to the Chief Shepherd to guard the flock. In 1 Timothy 4:1, to the same congregation (Ephesus), Paul wrote: “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.”

In a second letter to the same group of Christians, Paul writes: “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths” (2 Tim. 4:1-4).

God warns over and over and over again that there will arise false teachers within the church: Romans 16:17-18; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; Colossians 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; 1 Timothy 1:6; 6:3-5; 2 Timothy 1:13-14; Titus 1:16; 1 Peter 4:11; 2 Peter 3:16; 1 John 2:18; 4:1; Jude 4.

Every disagreement in the church is not a matter of opinion! We give aid and comfort to the enemy (Satan) when we treat doctrinal issues as if they are a matter of opinion. If Jesus has spoken on a matter, it is not a matter of opinion! The Scriptures lay on us the obligation to properly understand the word of God.

Paul Holland

One day, the Father will decide enough is enough and He will nod to the Son sitting on His right and the Son will stand up and eternity will begin. Jesus is coming back to get His bride, the church. It should always be remembered that Christ promised to prepare a mansion for His bride (John 14:1-3).

To the faithful, Christ has promised to say: “Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34). Don’t forget! “Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number” (Jeremiah 2:32).

Family, let’s not forget whose clothes we are wearing!

ISRAEL WAS MARRIED TO GOD:

Israel was spiritually married to God as we see in Jeremiah 3:14.

But Israel could not stay faithful to God; they were absorbed into their religious culture and it led them to disobey God’s commandments. That’s when God said they had committed spiritual adultery against Him. He was concerned, so He announced in Jeremiah 2:13…

The Jews who had become Christians were now married to Christ and they were dead to the Law of Moses (Romans 7:1-4). As Paul teaches in Ephesians 2, both Jew and Gentiles are members of the one body, the church of Christ, spiritually married to their Groom.

DRESSING FOR OUR WEDDING:

Just as nearly every bride and groom dress appropriately for their wedding day, so Christians also must put on the appropriate clothes for the consummation of our marriage to Jesus Christ.

It begins with putting Christ Himself on in baptism: Galatians 3:26-27.

But it also includes the teachings that Christ has given to us through His apostles and prophets: Titus 2:10; 2 John 9. So we can’t alter or defile the teachings of Christ because that teaching is what makes us fit for the coming of Jesus Christ. If someone changes that doctrine Christ has given, then they have forfeited their right to His presence: 2 John 10-11.

Nothing can replace healthy, balanced teaching from the Word of God. So Paul told Timothy: “Preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:2). Paul warned Timothy that there would be some – even in the first generation of the church of Christ – who would turn their ears away from sound doctrine and because of “itching ears,” they would turn from the truth (2 Tim. 4:2-4).

People do the same today.

THE CHURCH, THE BRIDE:

We are, then, spiritually married to Christ. In Ephesians 5:22-33, Paul talks about the relationship between the bride and the groom.

We must love, honor, and obey Christ who is the head of the church (Ephesians 5:24).

Be married to Christ and submit to Him as the One Who gave His life for you.

Paul Holland