____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ May 19, 1996 ____________________________________________________ When the Church Ceases To Be A Lifesaving Station (An Adaptation) by Kent E. Heaton, Sr. On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks often occur, there was once a crude little lifesaving station. The building was just a hut, and there was only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea, and with no thought for themselves went out day and night tirelessly searching for the lost. Many lives were saved by this wonderful little station, so that it became famous. Some of those who were being saved, and various others in the surrounding area, wanted to become associated with the station and give of their time and money and effort for the support of its work. New boats were bought and new crews trained. The little lifesaving station grew. Some of the members of the lifesaving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea. So they replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in the enlarged building. Now the lifesaving station became a popular gathering place for its members, and they decorated it beautifully and furnished it exquisitely, because they used it as a sort of club. Fewer members were now interested in going to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired a man to do this work. If any life- saving was to be done, he was the one responsible for seeing to that it was accomplished. The members of this little lighthouse encouraged the man in his work and he began with a spirit of determination and resolve. He knew that he would not be able to accomplish the work without the help of the members and so he devised various plans that would involve the members of the lighthouse to carry out the work of saving the people lost at sea. The members encouraged the man in his ideas and contributed their suggestions that would help. The plans were discussed and set in motion. About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the man sought to implement the plans that had been established by the little lighthouse. Rushing to the shore he leaped into the sea with his boat and called for others to follow and into the tempest he went. He began to see great numbers of people crying out for help from all directions. He tried to rescue as many as he could but only found desperation in the knowledge that only a very few had volunteered to come with him to save these people from certain death. Out of 300 passengers, only one was saved. Upon the return to the lighthouse, the members were joyous at the saving of the individual and the courage that the man had shown in bringing this one safely to shore. Yet the cry of 299 still cried out in the night. During the storm, the members had stayed safely in the little lighthouse, away from the troubled sea. The man asked why so little help was given to rescue the lost in the sea. ``Well,'' the members replied, ``we really didn't have time and you are more qualified to save these people than we are and besides that is the reason that we hired you.'' The little lighthouse continued like this and a number of years would pass and the man given the responsibility to save all the lost souls would move on to another lighthouse and each time, the little lighthouse on the coast would hire another man so that the work of saving those people from the shipwrecks would continue. As a matter of fact, the little lighthouse really did not know what to do without the hired man. They met each time in their regular meetings and talked of those members of the lighthouse who needed help and then would turn things over to the hired man. Some years had passed and the little lighthouse wanted to do some renovation to their place. As they were tearing up the floor to put in a new one, one of the workers found an old manual that had been used in the first little run down lighthouse. Curious to the contents, the members began to read each page and found some marvelous things about the first little lighthouse. When the lighthouse was first established, all of the members of the lighthouse went out to sea to find the lost people in times of wrecks. When a ship would crash against the rocks and break apart, all of the members would rush out to the boats and diligently seek out each and every passenger floundering in the sea. They would bring back almost every passenger and feed and clothe those poor folks who had lost their way. They stood ready every day with no fear of the elements and the danger of the sea to save those who were in desperate need. The light of the lighthouse was shining brightly over the storm and people who passed by knew that this lighthouse was made up of committed people who were not ashamed to put their own lives in peril to save others. They read how that each lighthouse was directed by men who tirelessly sought out those lost souls who were in need of help and care. They had the knowledge that took the boatloads of people out into the stormy sea and seek out the lost and dying people. They knew how to move the boats over the pounding surf and into the very deep of the ocean. They showed courage in the face of danger, compassion in the face of loss and fortitude in the face of decision. The little lighthouse was shown to be (according to the old manual) a group of people that worked together with one another and would not let anything come in their way to save those lost people from the sea. They would never allow themselves to rely upon one man to do the work. They realized that the work of saving lost souls was bound upon them all. Stunned by the new revelations, they called a meeting of the lighthouse and read the old manual to all of the members. Some of the members resented the fact that they would be asked to actually go out in the middle of the night, in the dread of the storm and try to save people. They just didn't think that they could do such a thing. Others realized that they needed to learn once again how to use the boats and bear up under the strain of the storm and save the lost in the sea. Some left the lighthouse and sought safety in other lighthouses. Still others stayed at this little lighthouse and sought to restore the work of saving the lost people in time of need. If you visit that seacoast today, you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are frequent in those waters, but most of the people drown. In a small little lighthouse on the other side, stands an lonely little beacon that sends forth its beam to light the way of those whom they can save. They cannot save them all but ships that pass in the night know that if ever a time comes that they are in peril, the people of that little lighthouse will readily be willing to risk all to save them. ___________________________________________ -- Via Gary's List What Does Preaching Accomplish? by Bob Waldron The Old Testament prophet was the preacher of his day. He was inspired, but other than that, he served in the same role as preachers must serve today. There were all kinds: blunt Amos, noble Isaiah, austere Elijah. There were also different purposes served by the various prophets. Some of them made virtually no converts (Jeremiah). Some were very successful, even when they did not want to be (Jonah). The prophets have messages which refresh us and encourage us. Sometimes they give us sober warning. Consider one of the lessons. Isaiah prophesied 740-700 B.C. He preached in Jerusalem but he saw the downfall of Israel to the north. He saw the terrible signs of decay in his own Judah. Although he had the sympathy and support of Hezekiah, the people of Judah gave little heed to his preaching. Also, some of the time, he dealt with a king such as Ahaz who had no sympathy for Isaiah's cause whatsoever. A situation like that makes us wonder, ``If people will not listen, why preach? What good does it do?'' In Isaiah's commission (ch. 6), the Lord says, ``I need someone to do a job.'' Isaiah volunteered. The job was: ``Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes'' (Isa. 6:10). How was Isaiah to do this? By telling them what God said. Isaiah wanted to know how long he should do this. God answered, ``Until cities be waste without inhabitant, and houses without man, and the land become utterly waste'' (6:11). God knew the heart of His people. He knew that they would reject His word. God wanted Isaiah to know that He knew they would respond this way. Yet He told Isaiah to preach to them anyway. Why? Isaiah was to preach with all his heart because he might convert his people. If he could not accomplish this, then he was to leave them no defense when judgment came. Let them drive the nails in their own coffin as it were. The preacher today is to preach with all his heart to win sinners from the clutches of this sinful generation. Preach with love and concern. But even when it seems that the effort is a failure, realize that this is not the case. We get preoccupied with numbers sometimes and forget that our objective is to do the bidding of God and leave the results in His almighty hand. God wants all men to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4). If, however, a generation turns away from God, then God wants them to have a witness against them that they were taught. He wants them taught again and again, so that their rejection of His will is complete. Whether they obey or whether they are lost, ``yet they shall know that there hath been a prophet among them'' (Ezek. 2:5). This lesson is not to say that we should deaden our hearts to the fate of doomed men and women but to help us realize that when we have done our best to preach the word, and the world will not respond, we have not failed if we have faithfully taught the word. -- via Stand, May 1996 ___________________________________________ Every Christian Needs... Faith in a day of doubt and uncertainty. (Hebrews 10:39) Courage to follow right in a day when so many fear to be different from the crowd and are ashamed to "stand up and be counted." (2 Tim. 1:7) Single-hearted allegiance to Christ in a day when men do not want to be bound by rules. (Acts 3:22-23) Holiness and purity in a day of worldliness and lust. (Hebrews 12:14; 2 Cor. 7:1) -- Selected ___________________________________________ "For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority" (Col. 2:9,10). ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 713 13th Street, 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@wwd.net ________________________________________