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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" (Matt.
28:19-20).
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February 17, 2019
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Contents:
1) Kindness (John Thompson)
2) What is "The Septuagint"? (Bill Crews)
3) News & Notes
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-1-
Kindness
John Thompson
A
commodity lacking in the world today is kindness. While it is
impossible to prove that there is less kindness practiced now than
previously, one must admit that we could use much more of it. A
universal recognition of the need for more kindness is evident by
the speed with which certain phrases have caught on and developed
lives of their own. For example, in 1988 George W. Bush used the
expression “a kinder and gentler nation” during his presidential
campaign. Not long after, the phrase was seen throughout the world
in advertisements and company slogans. It quickly became part of
everyday speech. It caught on because kindness was more the
exception than the rule.
Another expression, “random acts of kindness,” has become so popular
that it now refers to a social movement. It originated with the
phrase "practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty"
written by Anne Herbert on a placemat in Sausalito, California in
1982. The phrase, or some variation of it, soon began to appear on
bumper stickers. In 1993 Herbert’s book with the same title was
published. In it she recounted stories of people who had either
provided or received such kindness. This was her attempt to steer
people away from what has been described as random violence and acts
of senseless cruelty.
An internet search of “random acts of kindness” shows how far the
phrase has come. For instance, the website randomactsofkindness.org
offers several options: one can become inspired by accessing the
latest kindness ideas, quotes, videos and more; educators can
download free K-8 kindness lesson plans and projects; one can take
on a more direct role by becoming a Raktivist (a Random Acts of
Kindness activist); and, of course one can sign up for the Kind
blog. Too numerous to list are additional internet resources for
those interested in learning more about kindness, how to employ it
in their own lives, and how to encourage it in the lives of others.
The very definition of random acts of kindness exposes the belief
that kindness is rare. “A random act of kindness is a
non-premeditated, inconsistent action designed to offer kindness
towards the outside world.” Non-premeditated means that kindness
happens as the result of a spur-of-the-moment thought rather than as
the result of careful planning and intention. One acts kindly when
the thought just pops into one’s head, or when it seems like a good
idea at the time. Inconsistent means that given the same or similar
set of circumstances, there is no guarantee that one will act kindly
the next time. Either way, non-premeditated or inconsistent, the
implication is that kindness is not the norm, and when it happens it
is such an unusual event that it ought to be publicized and honored.
Anne Herbert, were she still living, and all of her followers might
be shocked to learn that she neither invented kindness nor began a
movement to heighten people’s awareness of it. Those honors belong
to God. God is a kind and loving God. His kindness and love are so
great and work so well together to the eternal benefit of mankind
that they are frequently designated by one word in the Bible. The
Psalmist said in Psalm 63:3, “Because Your lovingkindness is better
than life, My lips shall praise You.” Just as God is love, so God is
kind. Consequently, His kindness is as eternal as His love. It is
not just kindness, but lovingkindness, kindness permeated with love;
a kindness not given for God’s benefit, but for man’s benefit.
Since man was created in the image of God, humans have a built-in
capacity for kindness. God intended kindness to be man’s way of
life. There was no hint of unkindness between Adam and Eve in the
garden until the serpent deceived Eve into sinning. Ever since,
virtually everyone has believed, to some degree, the lie that
unkindness has its proper place in human behavior. I don’t believe
there is anything about which humans are more ambivalent than they
are about kindness. On the one hand we desperately long for more of
it in the world, yet we do not want to give up the “right” to be
just as unkind as we think we need to be at certain times. We fully
subscribe to the principle of doing unto others what we want done to
us yet seek revenge with great zeal.
Kindness can indeed be abundant and universally practiced, not by
going to a web site and signing up for access to a kindness blog,
but by becoming well-schooled by the lessons on kindness contained
in God’s Word. The Law of Moses was so much more than a law of “eye
for eye and tooth for tooth.” It was a law of fairness and kindness.
Those who extended kindness expected kindness in return. Those in
positions of authority were to be kind to those subject to them. In
1 Samuel 20 David fled from an enraged King Saul. The friendship of
he and Jonathan is sorely tested at this time. David feared for his
life from Saul, and Jonathan feared for his life should David become
more powerful. He says to David, “But if my father intends to harm
you, may the LORD deal with Jonathan, be it ever so severely, if I
do not let you know and send you away in peace. May the LORD be with
you as he has been with my father, But show me kindness as long as I
live, so that I may not be killed, unfailing kindness like the
LORD’s and do not ever cut off your kindness from my family—not even
when the LORD has cut off every one of David’s enemies from the face
of the earth.” Kindness that is unfailing is constant and reliable,
dependable, steadfast, steady, and sure, just like the Lord’s. It is
neither unpremeditated or inconsistent.
Kindness is to permeate every action and thought of God’s people
from loving your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31), to loving your
enemies and doing good to those who persecute you (Matthew 5:34-38);
from looking to the interests of others and considering others
better than yourself (Philippians 2:3-4), to living quietly minding
your own affairs (1 Thessalonians 4:11). The last half of Ephesians
4 is a treatise on all of the evil things one lets go of by putting
on a new life in Christ, things like falsehood, anger, violence,
theft, corrupting talk, bitterness, wrath, clamor, slander, and
malice. The last verse of chapter 4 summarizes that new life by
stating “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). The world
can use random acts of kindness, but what it really needs are more
Christians who are kind like the Lord is kind.
— Via University Heights Messenger, June 24, 2018,
Volume 10, Number 26
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-2-
What is “The
Septuagint"?
Bill Crews
The word “Septuagint” is from a Greek word meaning “seventy.” It is
sometimes referred to as the “LXX,” the Roman numerals that
mean “seventy.” The Septuagint is a Greek translation of
the Hebrew Old Testament books. It was made by a number of Jewish
scholars (supposedly, seventy of them) in Alexandria, Egypt (a very
Greek city founded by Alexander the Great, and in which many Jews
lived). And it was made in the third century B.C. The arrangement of
the Old Testament books in present-day translations, and even their
titles, were influenced far more by the Septuagint translation than
by the original Hebrew books as kept and arranged by the Jews. The
words, “Genesis,” “Exodus,” “Deuteronomy,” and “Ecclesiastes” are
from Greek, not Hebrew. New Testament quotations in the Greek are
usually from the Septuagint translation.
-- Via The Roanridge Reader, February 10, 2019, Volume 34,
Issue 06, Page 03
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-3-
News & Notes
We extend our condolences to the family and friends of Arthur
Laverne Robertson who passed away last Monday, February 11, at
just 71 years of age.
The stitches have been removed from Pat Joyner's surgery;
but she had to return to the hospital every week, due to not healing
properly. She also had extensive repair on her right leg, and
is now waiting on an appointment to surgically remove a cyst that
has been giving trouble. Due to having to sit with her legs
elevated has also been painful for her; but she hopes to be back
with us in two weeks if she can walk well enough. She thanks
every one “for the uplifting cards & great food” and also
writes, "It has done my heart good. It helped me crawl out of that
deep hole I was in." Pat continues to want our prayers.
Others to also be praying for: the family and friends of Eddie
Fullard; A.J. Joyner, Jim Lively, Anita Young, Doyle Rittenhouse,
Bennie & Deborah Medlock, James Medlock, Melotine Davis,
Shirley Davis, Mary Vandevander, Michelle Rittenhouse,
Marilyn Roberts, John Stoval, Everleigh and Hazel Greer,
Danny Hutcheson, Roger Montgomery, Mary Aldrich, Rex & Frankie
Hadley, and Tommy Lin
There will be a fifth annual congregational singing at the Hoboken
church of Christ this Saturday (February 23),
beginning at 5 p.m. The church meets at 5101 Main
Street, Hoboken, Georgia. All are invited.
WordPress version of this bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2019/02/17/the-gospel-observer-february-172019/
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“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if
God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John
4:10-11, NASB).
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The Steps That
Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the
gospel, for that is how faith
comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John
3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in
Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts
8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark
16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom.
6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith, living
for the Lord; for, if not,
salvation can be lost (Heb.
10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet.
2:20-22).
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Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross,
GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00
a.m. (Bible class); 10 a.m. &
5 p.m. (worship)
Tuesday: 2 p.m.
(Ladies' Bible class)
Wednesday: 7 p.m.
(Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom
Edwards (912) 281-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com (Gospel
Observer website with pictures in
WordPress)
http://thomastedwards.com/go
(Older version of Gospel Observer
website without pictures, but back
to March 1990)
http://tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org/
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html
(audio sermon)