____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ March 28, 1993 ____________________________________________________ Last Things First by Dan S. Shipley The scene is Shechem. The occasion is Joshua's farewell address just prior to his death. All the tribes of Israel are assembled to hear the aged Joshua, now 110, as he begins recounting God's dealings with their great nation. Showing that God has continually been with and helping them, he concludes, ``Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth...'' (Josh. 24:16). The scene is Jerusalem. David is nigh unto death as he gives this last charge to his son Solomon: ''...I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man; and keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies...'' (1 Kings 2:2,3). The scene is a Roman prison. Paul is writing his last epistle. In giving his final charge to Timothy, he reminds the young evangelist not to be shamed of the gospel (2 Tim. 1:8); to hold the pattern of sound words (1:13); to suffer hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2:3); to give diligence to present himself approved unto God (2:15) and to persevere with urgency in preaching the word (4:2) with the assurance that a crown of righteousness awaits all the faithful (4:8). Such are the words with which these great men of God conclude the final chapter of their earthly existence. The last words of any dying man are generally regarded as having special significance, but the words of these men ought to be especially so regarded--not so much because of being last words necessarily, but because of who they were and what they said with those words. Joshua, David and Paul were men who had given most of their lives in consecrated service to the Lord. God had used their tongues and talents extensively to serve His purposes among men. Through experience and revelation they accumulated such wisdom as experienced by few mortals. Joshua, for instance, knew how the lack of faith could prevent one's entering into God's rest. David understood about temptation and sin, and Paul himself had made the transition from ``chief of sinners'' to ambassador for Christ. As few others could, they perceived how the will of God complements the greatest needs of man--so their last words deserve an attentive hearing. And what do we hear? Though different in expression and separated by hundreds of years, we hear messages that are strikingly similar. All emphatically recommend to others the same course they have now finished. All emphasize serving the Lord. Essentially, they are saying to all who shall come after them, ``Live for the Lord!''; or, as another wise man put it, ``fear God and keep his commandments.'' After all, that's what living is all about. Their's is a lesson we must learn! Apart from truly reverencing God and walking in His ways, man can have no meaningful existence here nor hope of life in the hereafter. As those destined to go ``the way of all the earth,'' may the last words of these godly men find priority in our lives. ___________________________________________ THE HARDER YOU TRY by Chuck Bartlett Jeremiah is known by many as ``the weeping prophet.'' As a spokesman for God, he faced the frustration of having his words fall on deaf ears and witnessed the people falling deeper into sin. Knowing the impending judgment upon the wicked people of Israel, the only thing Jeremiah could do was express his sorrow. In Jeremiah 9:1, we read, ``Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!'' The prophet often wept because he had compassion. It would be easy to say, ``Oh well, they didn't listen, that is their problem.'' One would wonder how badly they wanted others to change! The compassion of Jeremiah cannot be disassociated from his love for God. Why didn't this prophet just give up and partake of the sins of the people? He didn't because he preached to himself when he taught others. He realized that the unrighteous actions were transgressions against the Father (9:13). Knowing this, punishment was necessary, or else, why even bother trying to teach them? (9:25) I am not saying that we all need to be crying day and night over the lost, but there is something to be learned from Jeremiah. Did not Christ cry out, ``O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!'' (Matt. 23:37). Maybe the key to this is knowing how hard the prophet tried to reach people. Did you ever notice how hard it is to accept defeat when you tried so very hard? Think of a close game where it came down to the end and you came up short. Thus, maybe, just maybe, we haven't been trying hard enough in order to feel sad that the gospel has been rejected. Think about it! ___________________________________________ The Nation = The Church! by Harry L. Lewis We got another letter from Don Jackson in reaction to an article in Focus on Faith in which 1 Peter 2:9 was used to show that the nation mentioned here is the church. Mr. Jackson is a dispensationalist of the first order, and is something in an organization called Dispensational Truths. I don't suppose this man and I agree on more than 5 or 10% of what the new Testament says, so it did not surprise me very much to get the letter of dissent. What surprised me was the rather straight forward statement as follows: ``Never is the church of this dispensation called a nation. By the very nature of the case this could never be.'' How sure are you of that, Mr. Jackson? Dear readers, please go to 1 Peter 2:4-10 and read this section. The New Testament church is the only thing that can fit all the elements of this scripture reading, and it most definitely is called a nation. As a matter of fact, it is called a holy nation. This verse teaches the church and the holy nation is the same thing (2 Peter 2:9). The fact that the ``nation'' referred to in this verse is the church is without doubt when all which Peter says about it is taken into consideration. Notice in the very first verse of this book (1:1) Peter speaks to a foreign but elect people. In 2:11 they are called strangers and pilgrims. It was said in verse ten that there was a time when they ``were not a people, but are now the people of God.'' Peter said ``now,'' first century; they are the people of God. Pray tell if this is not a reference to the church, what is? I know that Mr. Jackson says it refers to the Israel of the Old Testament, but that will not do; for it was a nation from the time God took them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt (1 Chronicles 1:9; 17:21; 2 Samuel 7:23; etc.) I must ask Mr. Jackson the question, What entity of the first century could have been ``The people of God'' referred to as a nation except the Jews or the Christians (i.e. members of the church). Certainly Peter is not speaking of the Jews for he said in verse ten, of this nation, ``Which in time past were not a people.'' Were the Jews a people (i.e. nation) in time past? We learn, however, that the church--that holy nation--had not existed before the first century. Jesus had to die to bring it into existence (Acts 20:28). He gave himself for it (Ephesians 5:25). Jesus himself said to Peter ''...and upon this rock I will build my church (Matthew 16:18---Emp. mine HLL). In Acts 11:26 we learn ``They were called Christians first in Antioch.'' Every Christian was bought by the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:22-25). The Lord then added them to his church (Acts 2:47). Since their souls were purified by the blood when they obeyed the truth through the Spirit (1 Peter 1:22-25), they could be, and were, called a holy nation. What other nation in all the world could be called a holy nation except the one nation which had been washed by the blood of the savior? They had a king. They were citizens, Christians, saints, those washed by the blood. They had a rule of life--the law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:20). They had a territory over which their King was the ruler (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20-23; Mark 16:15). They are the only holy nation which ever existed! They are still the holy nation, they are the people of God, they are the church of God, they are the kingdom of God, and they are the saved of God. ___________________________________________ "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 33:11). ___________________________________________ The Two Reasons There's a story told about two boys out on a spree, who for a moment thought about visiting the "red-light" district; but then, with second thoughts, explained why they wouldn't. One said, "No, because of what my dad would do to me if he ever found out about it." Perhaps this sounds typical as to how many a young person would respond. But notice the reason given by the other boy: He said, "No, because of what it would do to my dad if he ever found out about it." -- Tom ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________