____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ July 3, 2005 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) A Future That Is Certain (Max Burgin) 2) Selected Sentence Sermons 3) How Much Have You Grown? (Derek R. Chancelor) 4) Morals in the Pulpit and in the Pew (Leslie Diestelkamp) ____________________________________________________ -1- A Future That Is Certain by Max Burgin I have been notified, by computer, that a dear friend of mine has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and only given a couple of weeks to live. Fortunately he has hope of a bright future in eternity, though he is soon to leave behind all that he knows and loves, and has accumulated here. He will be comforted and buoyed up by this knowledge as he realizes what true friendship, with eternal values is. He has not wasted his life in the pursuit of worthless, empty and void passions, but sought always to promote the gospel truths that alone can lead to salvation and eternal happiness. He therefore has a confident hope of the future, having learned it's not all of life just to live, and though he now faces what many fear as a bleak future, he has no fear of death, or the judgment beyond, which every person must face (Hebrews 9:27). I am very thankful that our lives crossed and that his influence on me has helped to create a hope of an eternal time of bliss together in the presence of the only One true and eternal friend any person can have. This brings home to us, with great urgency, the need to prepare for the future that is just as certain for each of us. There is no such person that can avoid a future in eternity, but it can be determined where it will be spent. For every person who knew Jim [Everett], and what he stood for, and ignored it, will remember the opportunity they had, but for many it will be too late. Eternity is before us all, and his example will help to motivate us to prepare, as we ought, for the only time in the future that we can be sure of. When one stops to consider the true, and transient, nature of life it is realized that one can never be certain of it continuing for any certain duration, that it can be lost when least expected. If I can say so, without being misunderstood, Jim now has an advantage that is not available to many -- he knows not only that his future is short, but what the outcome will be, and can make final preparations, if any are necessary, so that he can leave this life being fitly prepared for an endless eternity. His life would not be considered wasted if he can help others prepare, because of his circumstances, for eternity, and nothing would make him happier. But the greatest tragedy of all will be seen in all who are not moved by similar circumstances, to think seriously of their own future. In the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, where Jim lived while in Australia, is a treacherous place called Victoria Pass, and written in large letters on a cliff face are the words, "Be prepared to meet thy God." This would be Jim's prayer for all; there is no greater achievement any can make with his life. You cannot avoid meeting God, but you can avoid doing so unprepared. The only way to be ready for that time -- the only time in the future you can be certain of -- is spelled out in the Bible, "repent and be baptized for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38), and then "rise to walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4). You are now at a "Victoria Pass" in life, and the message is for you "Be prepared to meet thy God." It is hoped that these circumstances will cause many to think, like never before, of the certainty of the future they face, and use their time, strength and energy to do what is required by God. It is very common for people to go to great lengths to make their physical future secure, and while there is nothing wrong with this, or thinking and planning ahead, it is all without eternal value if it causes them to ignore their spiritual future. Jim is a shining example of one whose life has real worth, by having set proper priorities and values, and pursued things of eternal value, one who can say in Paul's words, "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of life, which the Lord shall give me at the last day" (2 Timothy 4:8). That alone will show that life was worthwhile. Jim has striven for the same goal. You can too. Will you be among the "many" who go the way of destruction, that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 7:13-14, or among the "few who find the way of life"? Remember it's not all of death to die, or all of life to live. -- Via "Our Church Bulletins" (of the Cedar Park Church of Chirst, Cedar Park, TX) ____________________________________________________ -2- Selected Sentence Sermons * A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing. * Exercise daily. Walk with the Lord! * A family altar can alter a family. * Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there. ____________________________________________________ -3- How Much Have You Grown? Derek R. Chancelor "...But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen" (2 Pet. 3:18). "...As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby..." (1 Pet. 2:2). In this article let's examine ourselves (2 Cor. 13:5), and look at areas that we should have grown in. In Faith? Is your faith still growing, or has it reached a plateau where it has been for several years? Have the trials, temptations, and persecutions that have come your way made you more dependent upon the God of Heaven? Have the events of the past years taught you that, "...all things work together for good to those who love God" (Rom. 8:28). In the midst of life and death, good and evil, prosperity and adversity, have you seen what a truly grand thing it is to be a child of God? In Knowledge? How much do you know about the Bible, right now, than you did two years ago? Have you acquired enough of an understanding of the Book so as to teach others the simple plan of salvation? Can you give answer to those who ask you why you are what you are? Do you find yourself more and more turning to the scriptures to answer the problems that perplex you? In Attitudes? Has there been a real improvement in the attitude toward matters that before were unimportant to you? What is your attitude toward attending more than one service a week? Has it improved over the past years or are you the same person you were a few years ago? What is your present attitude toward personal work? Do you still consider it a job for someone else? What is your attitude toward preaching that is intended to help you but clashes with what you are doing? Do you go home and "sound off" to everyone that will listen about how fanatical the preacher is, or do you think over carefully the sermon and seek to find out if it is what the Bible teaches? Is your attitude that of doing only what you think you can get by with or do you seek to "abound in the work of the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58)? In Love and Understanding? Has your love for the brethren increased in the past year? Do you consider them and their problems and try to understand and appreciate them? Are you motivated to think the best of them first and think the worst last? Have you come to the realization that, just as there are those "quirks" in their personalities that you must overlook, they have to overlook many things in yours? Have you experienced the great joy of "loving the brethren" and found that peace of mind that comes when you are moved and motivated in all things by the spirit of Christ? Will You Try? Will you try this year to grow in faith? Will you seek to gain more knowledge of God's immutable word? Will you make a true effort to improve your attitudes? Will you make the first step toward your brethren in manifesting love and understanding? God grant that you will, and may this year end with you and me truly pleasing our Lord by having grown "in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." -- Via The Bulletin of the Church of Christ at New Georgia, January 30, 2005 ____________________________________________________ -4- Morals in the Pulpit and in the Pew by Leslie Diestelkamp Once, when I preached a sermon on morals, a mature man in the congregation asked to speak. For perhaps two or three minutes he exhorted the people, giving complete endorsement to what I had preached. I believe his endorsement may have impressed the people more than my sermon had. It would be a good thing, everywhere, if elders and/or other mature, devout men would publicly concur in teaching of truth on moral matters. The more worldly ones would then come to realize that morality is a matter for all, not just for preachers. We need more morals in the pew as well as in the pulpit. In the same city where I preached the above-mentioned sermon, an elderly lady attended the services. I visited her, and in the course of such I inquired how she happened to attend. She said that "her church" was far across the city and that her son had urged her to attend with us. Her son was foreman in a plant over the very man mentioned above who exhorted the people when I preached. Her son so admired the morals of his worker that he told his mother, "that church must be all right" because that man went there. Of course, I do not mean that the morality of the people necessarily makes a church right. People may indeed be moral and still be very wrong doctrinally. On the other hand, regardless of the purity of doctrine that is preached, a church can't be right before God and fruitful among men unless the morals of the members are above reproach. In fact, correctness (scripturalness) in worship, work and organization is made attractive to the world by genuine morality and good works (Matt. 5:15-16). When Christians teach the whole truth, many people will reject it and rebel against it. Yet some may be won to receptiveness and later to obedience through the godliness of Christians. Conversely, any scriptural position a church may take is made quite inconsequential to the world if the people do not live in holiness. A preacher's sermon on morals falls very flat if the congregation does not exemplify the highest ideals. Especially the leaders (elders, deacons, preachers, etc.) and their wives need to maintain untainted reputations that will portray the very same ideals as are proclaimed in the sermons. Instead of always whining and complaining about the morals of the world about us, God's people would do better to just demonstrate, in the pulpit and the pew, the qualities that are desirable. Let us say and do, preach and live moral purity of the very highest possible degree. Let the thoughts of our minds, the words of our lips and the deeds of our bodies be holy, godly and righteous altogether. This would abound to the glory of God, to satisfaction in life and usefulness to the world. -- Via Think, Vol. 2, No. 5, July 1971 ____________________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________