____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ December 16, 2007 ____________________________________________________ Contents: 1) Lesson From a Funeral (Harry R. Osborne) 2) Apathy's Antidote (Steve Klein) 3) Are You Different? (Greg Gwin) ____________________________________________________ -1- Lesson From a Funeral by Harry R. Osborne Have you been to a funeral lately? None of us enjoys funerals, but the reflection demanded by such occasions is good for us. The Bible speaks of the need to learn the lessons that are taught by facing death's reality. Notice the words of Solomon: "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth" (Eccl. 7:2-4). A while back, I entered the house of mourning for an especially thought-provoking funeral. The body of a young man who had turned 18 just three weeks before lay in the casket. He died as the result of a car accident which also took the lives of three other teenagers enjoying a week off during Spring break. Hundreds of teenagers from the local high school were present. The death served as a vivid reminder that the curse of death that has invaded our world as a result of sin may bring tragedy upon all. This random occurrence of accidental death was well described by one Bible writer of old: "I returned and saw under the sun that -- The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them" (Eccl. 9:11-12). The death of any person we have known makes us face death as a reality. When we attend a funeral, death is not a theoretical proposition -- it is a reality! We are forced to contemplate the fact that we too will die just as the one whose memory we honor at a funeral. The admission of that reality brings with it several lessons. First, we must see the brevity of life. The Psalmist said, "Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor" (Psa. 39:5). In the New Testament, James refers to the same thing noting, "For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (Jas. 4:14). Therefore, our prayer should be that of Psalm 90:12 -- "So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom." Second, we are impressed with the frailty of life. When we see the body of one so alive a few days ago now lifeless within the casket, this lesson is impossible to ignore. David speaks of life's uncertainty by noting that "there is but a step between me and death" (1 Sam. 20:3). Solomon declared the same thing saying, "No one has power over the day of death" (Eccl. 8:8). Third, we are brought to contemplate what lies beyond this life. The Bible answers that point emphatically by stating, "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27). Whether in youth or in later years, all of us must be prepared to meet God in judgment, "For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it is good or whether it is evil" (Eccl. 12:14). We have no guarantee on life. We hold no lease for so many years. If that young man could pass from this life unexpectedly in his youth, so you and I may too pass at any time. We must all learn this lesson often forgotten until driven into our hearts by the house of mourning. Yes, it is good to go into the house of mourning. It is not enjoyable, but it is still good. The good comes from the fact that we are made better by facing the lessons learned by the occasion and changing our life for the better. Let us all seriously reflect upon our lives in view of our certain destiny to face God in judgment. -- Via Guardian of Truth XXXVIII: 21, p. 10, November 3, 1994 ____________________________________________________ -2- Apathy's Antidote by Steve Klein Apathy is defined as "a lack of feeling or concern: indifference." We've often heard others complain that "nobody cares" about the underprivileged or the righting of wrongs in society. Uncured social apathy has long been with us. Helen Keller said that, "Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all -- the apathy of human beings." That being said, religious apathy has not always been as widespread as it is now. American history is filled with examples of religious passion. But today, apathy is a growing problem in our country and in the church. One indication of the problem is seen in the increasing lack of concern for attending church. Recent studies by the Barna Group have shown that from 1992 to 2003 the average attendance at a typical church service has dropped by 13% whereas the population of America has increased by 9%. Their research also indicates that at the present rate of change, most Americans will identify themselves as non-religious or non-Christian by the year 2035. Corresponding to these figures, other studies have shown a continued decline in general Bible knowledge among the American population. The sad reality is that if we asked the typical American, "Is the biggest problem in the religious world today ignorance or indifference?" most would probably respond by saying, "I don't know and I don't care!" The Scriptures command that Christians be "fervent in spirit, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11). The word "apathy" should never describe our service to the Lord. Yet, how much concern are we showing in our service? Are we attending as we should? Do we involve ourselves in church work according to our talents? Do we study our Bibles? Do we talk about God's truth with others? Are we striving fervently to live godly lives? If we're honest, most of us would probably admit that we do not show enough concern for these things. What is the cure for spiritual apathy? To my knowledge, there is no support group that one can join to overcome apathy. There is no such thing as Apathetic's Anonymous, and if there were, no member of the group would care enough to tell you who they were or where they meet. So, what's the cure for apathy? Peter tells us in second Peter the third chapter. The coming of the day of the Lord will cure apathy! Peter reminds us that the day of the Lord will come, and that just as surely as God once destroyed the earth with water, He will destroy it again with fire. He says, "The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up" (2 Peter 3:10). If we accept that, we won't be apathetic! Peter goes on to say, "Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God...." (2 Peter 3:11-12a). Everyone will have their religious apathy cured by the day of the Lord. Either you will swallow the cure in this life by accepting the reality of His coming or the cure will be forced upon you on that day. When the Lord returns and the earth is destroyed, everyone will care about their service to Him. -- Via The Bulletin of the Church of Christ at New Georgia, November 25, 2007 ____________________________________________________ -3- Are You Different? by Greg Gwin It was a mere backyard pool toy -- an inflatable rubber raft. But to these boys it was what they had been hoping for -- what they had been needing -- it was a fishing boat! Now they could "get out amongst them" -- out in the pond where the really big ones lurk. Only one more thing was needed. What could they use for an anchor? After all, every boat needs an anchor! Finally they had the solution -- an empty plastic milk jug. Fill it with water to make it heavy, and tie on a rope. But, wait! Something is wrong. The anchor won't sink! A valuable lesson in physics is learned the hard way. The water in the jug weighs no more than the water outside the jug. You can't make an anchor that way! And, who says that fishing isn't educational? There's a spiritual lesson to be learned here, too. (You knew I was coming to that, didn't you?) Christians are to be a strong influence in the world. Jesus used the analogies of "salt" and "light" in His Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:13-16). But we can't be that kind of preserving and enlightening influence on others if we are not different than they are. If we talk, dress, and act like people of the world, we won't be able to change them. If we do what they do, go to the evil places that they go, and engage in their evil practices, we can't teach them. Paul urged us to "be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed ..." (Rom. 12:2). Learn the lesson! A boat anchor made out of water won't sink, and a Christian who is like the world won't win others to Christ. -- Via The Bulletin of the Church of Christ at New Georgia, Feb. 18, 2007 ____________________________________________________ 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 ____________________________________________________