____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ September 3, 2006 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) The Christian's Duty to God (Ronny Milliner) 2) The Offensive Christ (Johnny Ramsey) 3) News & Notes ____________________________________________________ -1- The Christian's Duty to God by Ronny Milliner The first eleven chapters of the book of Romans is Paul's treatise on how both Jew and Gentile may be justified in the same way "for there is no partiality with God" (Rom. 2:11). The twelfth chapter begins the practical part of the book. Here is where Paul begins to make application of the facts previously taught. In this section of Scripture we find the Christian's duty to (1) God (12:1); (2) the world (12:2); (3) the brethren (12:3-16); (4) his enemies (12:17-21); (5) the government (13:1-7); (6) his neighbor (13:8-14); and (7) weak brethren (14:1-15:13). The Toil Of The Sacrifice Our basic duty to God is to sacrifice ourselves in His service. The action of this sacrifice is represented by the word "present" in Romans 12:1. The word literally means "to place beside or near" or "to set at hand." We must make ourselves available to God. We must be near to Him, so we can readily be used in His cause. "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (Jas. 4:8a). Every Christian must present himself as a present to God. The Thing Of The Sacrifice The thing or the object which is to be sacrificed is one's body. All of the body must be presented to God. Presenting the body includes presenting the mind. We must have a mind set not on the flesh, but on the spirit (Rom. 8:7). We should be noble-minded like the Bereans in receiving the word (Acts 17:11). We are admonished to be of the same mind with our brethren (Rom. 15:5). And we must have the humility of mind like Jesus (Phil. 2:3-5). Presenting the body to God as a sacrifice includes presenting the eyes. We must have eyes that look to God (Psa. 145:15). We need a clear eye, not a bad eye (Mt. 6:22-23). Our eyes need to see (Lk. 10:23), and be enlightened (Eph. 1:18). Eyes which are lustful are not being sacrificed to God (1 Jn. 2:16). Presenting the body to God as a sacrifice includes presenting the ears. God is not pleased with itching ears which desire tickling by men (2 Tim. 4:3-4). He wants ears sacrificed to Him which are quick to hear what He has to say (Jas. 1:19). Presenting the body to God as a sacrifice includes presenting the mouth. Our mouths must be acceptable to God (Psa. 19:14). This type of mouth will be a mouth which is willing to confess (Rom. 10:9-10), which edifies (Eph. 4:29), which boldly preaches the gospel (Eph. 6:19), and which is seasoned with grace (Col. 4:16). The sacrificed mouth will bless and not curse (Jas. 3:10). Presenting the body to God as a sacrifice includes presenting the hands. God wants hands that are clean (Psa. 24:4), and He desires hands which minister (Acts 20:34) and labor (Eph. 4:28). We also present our hands to God by lifting them up in prayer (1 Tim. 2:8). Presenting the body to God as a sacrifice includes presenting the loins. Only loins which are girded with strength (Prov. 31:17) and truth (Eph. 6:14) can prove to be useful to God. Presenting the body to God as a sacrifice includes presenting the feet. Feet used by God will visit the needy and distressed (Mt. 25:36) and will carry the message of the gospel wherever they go (Rom. 10:15). The feet will be restrained from evil (Psa. 119:101). We may be selective in which organs and body parts we may wish to donate to others at our death, but God demands them all. The Toehold To The Sacrifice Notice the word "therefore" in this verse. The word connects the exhortation with the arguments and instruction that have preceded it. Thus what Paul said previously about all men being sinners, God's grace, the gospel, Christ, justification, faith, etc. are reasons why we should sacrifice ourselves to God. Paul also bases his urging on "the mercies of God." Paul had spoken earlier in the book about God's grace (Rom. 3:24; 5:20-21) and God's love (Rom. 5:5-8; 8:35-39). He had just finished speaking about His mercy (Rom. 11:30-32). So, because of what God has so graciously, lovingly, and mercifully done for us, let us return our love and appreciation to Him by presenting our bodies in sacrifice to Him. The Type Of The Sacrifice Paul uses four phrases to describe the kind of sacrifice we are to offer to God. First, we are to offer "living" sacrifices to God. He no longer wants the offering of dead animals. Paul had exhorted earlier in the book, "And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God" (Rom. 6:13). We must also offer up "holy" sacrifices to God. The Jews could not offer what was blemished to God (Deut. 15:21), and neither can we. We must avoid sin as the plague it is. Our sacrifice which we offer will also have to be "acceptable to God." We may not offer to God what we think He will be pleased with, but rather we must offer what He has said He will be pleased with. Many people fail at this point. They think they are pleasing God, but like Saul of Tarsus, they are not obeying His will. Finally, this sacrifice we make to God is, Paul affirms, "your reasonable service." The word translated "reasonable" means "rational; agreeable to reason." It is the Greek word logikos from which we get our English word "logic." The word translated "service" was used of the work of the priests in the tabernacle, and was also used of hired service. Here it refers to "the intelligent service of believers in presenting their bodies to God" (Vine, p. 349). Let no one tell you that the life of a Christian is not a rational way of life. The wise man Solomon, after pursuing a number of different avenues in search of the purpose of life, rationally concluded, "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (Eccl. 12:13). Conclusion For what or whom are you sacrificing? Are you willing to "go out of your way" for God? Remember Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Lk. 9:23). -- Via Guardian of Truth XXIX: 8, pp. 238-239, April 18, 1985 ____________________________________________________ -2- The Offensive Christ by Johnny Ramsey In Gal. 5:11, we read of "the offense of the cross." To some in Corinth, nothing was as distasteful as the preaching of the crucified Savior. In Athens, Paul was mocked for preaching the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:12). To be perfectly honest, Christ was a "rock of offense" and a "stone of stumbling" to many among His own people and in the Roman Empire (Rom. 9:33). Why did Jesus offend so many? He was despised in the region of Gadarenes because people there thought more of swine than of lost souls (Mark 5). The Master Teacher offended the Pharisees because of His blunt rebuke of their customs and traditions (Matt. 15:7-12). The absolute authority of the Lord caused a sword of separation within some families (Matt. 10:34-35). When Christ comes on the stage of life, the human scene must give attention to His claims. One cannot be neutral in regard to the Man of Nazareth. Jesus plainly reminds us in Matt. 12:30 that men are either "for or against" Him. But why was our blessed Redeemer such a controversial person? His Perfection Made Others Uncomfortable To be in the presence of the Son of God made anyone else's fame pale into nothingness. His speech, action, attitude and endeavor formed a matchless framework of beauty. The scribes waned in power when Jesus unfolded the Scriptures. The righteous pretense of the Pharisees disintegrated in the marvelous purity of the Messiah. Arrogant claims of the Sadducees were easily put asunder by one clear word of logic by the Savior. Caesars and Herods were always dwarfed by the heavenly countenance of the Redeemer. Since very few people enjoy being "upstaged," Jesus was intently hated. Pilate realized that "for envy he had been delivered up" (Mark 15:10). His Salvation Was Spiritual, Not Temporal "Hosanna" had become a popular cry among the Jews by the time the Lord walked the Judean soil. Since the days of the Maccabees, it was a term of deliverance and meant simply, "Save us, we pray." In Mark 11 is told the story of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. But however brilliant the palm-strewn road may have seemed that day, our Redeemer was a bitter disappointment to the Jews because He came not to save them from Rome, but to save sinners from Satan's hold. He told Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36), and those coming to Him for loaves and fishes went away distraught. He Embarrassed The Socially Elite The Savior's propensity of eating with sinners caused a revolt within the upper echelon of society (Mark 2; Luke 19). Jesus came "to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10), but the doctors of the law were upset with practical application of that maxim. It bothered them intensely when the large crowds came to hear him teach, because Jesus had not gone to one of their schools (John 7). The piercing logic by which Christ nailed their hides to the wall was constantly embarrassing (Mark 12:14; John 8:39-40). Jesus unveiled their evil hearts of selfishness in the person of the "older brother" (Luke 15:11-31), and their vain ritualistic piety in the story of the priests and Levites who "pass by on the other side" (Luke 10:27-37). No wonder they were offended! Of course, they could have repented, but that would have called for more humility than they could muster. Are there any sadder words in Scripture than John 1:11? "He came unto His own, but His own received Him not." Rather than being offended in Jesus, may God help us always to stand up valiantly for Him in the midst of a godless, decadent world. It is hardly conceivable that anyone as wonderful as Jesus Christ would have had as many enemies as He did. As our minds retrace the beautiful life He led, the perfect pattern He set, we are amazed to recall the fact that many in His day coldly rejected Him. How could anyone spurn such an unselfish love? Even though we cannot answer these questions completely, it remains a sobering, heart-breaking fact that thousands of His day turned a deaf ear to heaven's will, expressed so capably in Jesus, the Son of God. -- Via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 55, No. 24, June 16, 2006 ____________________________________________________ -3- News & Notes Let those of us who are Christians be praying for the family and friends of David Day (Agnes Shuff's brother) who passed away August 28. He was 79 and had been living in Shreveport. We want to also continue remembering Luther Shuff in prayer, who is undergoing tests for his condition and has made some improvement. Also for our prayer list are Clyde and Annie Mae Jackson who had both been in the hospital recently. Annie Mae has not been feeling well. Let us also be praying for Darrell Lykins (of Rush, Kentucky) who recently had 2-hour surgery on his back, which he had been having trouble with for about 15 years. He was told that it is going to take him about 3 or 4 months to recuperate. ____________________________________________________ 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 ____________________________________________________