____________________________________________________ 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). ____________________________________________________ July 19, 1998 ____________________________________________________ Death In The Midst Of Life When Children Die by Bob Buchanon The event of death can be so shattering that we feel helpless before it. This is especially true if the dying person is a child. It is hardly possible for parents to view the death of their child as anything but unnatural. In our shock and confusion we may feel powerless to do anything about our feelings or our lives. Without minimizing the overwhelming distress and disruption death can bring, I suggest that you can turn the crisis into an occasion for deeper spiritual understanding and more creative living than you have ever known. You may be tempted when the stress is great to give up the very things you need most to surmount the crisis. Job's wife scoffed at his faith and urged him to ``curse God and die.'' But Job persevered in faith even as he protested the injustice of his sufferings, and was led to a deeper understanding of His Lord. To reject your faith is to place yourself at the mercy of your fears. To give up hope is to open the floodgates to despair. To give up the sustaining power of love is to let in bitterness, resentment, and hatred. Edgar Jackson wrote, ``A tragic event is like a battle in your personal history. It is a time of decision and the course of your life may be set by the way you conduct your private engagement with painful reality. You may be defeated by the event and move on into life crippled in spirit and emotion. Or you may emerge from the personal battle with a new and firmer faith, a deeper sensitivity to the needs of others, and a new capacity for concern and understanding.'' Life is not all sunshine. Shadows of sorrow hover over us as we stand in the presence of death; but there is some comfort, or blessings to be derived from the shadows, or this sorrow. It should help you to better sympathize with others in time of trouble; it should encourage you to be the first to assist when others have hearts filled with pain. There is one consoling thought with all of this, however. Babies are safe (not saved, because they have never been lost--but safe). They have committed no sin and they need no remittance or forgiveness. Jesus said, ``For of such is the kingdom of heaven'' (Matt. 19:14). A child is humble and so must God's children be (Luke 18:10; Jas. 4:6). A child cannot hold malice and hatred in his heart. Yes, they fall out and fuss in their play, but soon they forget their differences and are playing together again. And a child anxiously looks forward to going home if it has been obedient to parents' orders and instructions. Read again Matthew 18:1-7 and 19:14. From these scriptures we learn that children are fit subjects for heaven. Although it is hard to give them up, your loss is heaven's gain. At one time heaven may have just seemed like some far away place in the sky, but now you should make more of an effort than ever before to go there. You now have an invested interest there. Live faithful to Christ until you, too, come to the end of life's way--then be reunited with loved ones, who have gone on before, in that upper and better home in heaven. ___________________________________________ Free Bible Courses Are Available Upon Request Why not write or call for one today? ___________________________________________ Studies In Hebrews #3 by Alex D. Ogden We Must Not Neglect The Salvation Through Jesus (2:1-4) Having established in chapter one that Jesus is superior to the fathers, prophets and angels, the Hebrew writer stops to issue the first of many warnings. He exhorts them to ``pay all the more attention to what we have heard'' (Moffatt translation). The recipients of the book, Jewish Christians, were apparently on the brink of turning from Christ to go back to Judaism. The writer argues since Jesus is so superior to the fathers, prophets and angels then we should pay much closer attention to the message revealed through Jesus. To further clarify and press the point the author compares ``the word spoken through angels,'' the Law of Moses (cf. Acts 7:38,53; Gal. 3:19), and ``so great a salvation,'' the message of Christ which they had heard (vv. 1,3). ``The word spoken through angels'' proved steadfast by virtue of the fact that those who transgressed or disobeyed that law received their just reward, or punishment. Such people died ``without compassion'' (10:28) since they were deserving of such punishment. The recipients of the book were well aware of the steadfastness of the Law and the just punishment for those who would disobey it. The author then asks, ``how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?'' In other words, since Jesus is so superior to the messenger of the Old Law, there can be no doubt His message will also prove steadfast and render punishments greater than those for the Old Law. If there was no escape from punishment under the Old Law then surely there will be no escape under the Law of Christ. Indeed, ``how shall we escape''? There is great danger in neglecting the Law of Christ. Jesus Is The Perfect Representative Of Man (2:5-18) The subject left off in chapter one verse 14, showing the superiority of Jesus, is now resumed. The author first shows the lowliness and dignity of man in general (vv. 5-8) by referring to Psalms 8:4-6. In comparison with all God created, man is quite small. Yet God is mindful of us and supplies us with those things we have need of. As far as rank is concerned, man is ``a little lower than the angels.'' God crowned man with glory and honor and put him in a position of authority over all that He had created (cf. Gen.1:26). ``But now we see not yet all things subjected to him.'' When man sinned in the Garden of Eden (cf. Gen. 3) he lost the glory and honor God had crowned him with and he lost authority over some things previously subjected to him. Death, for example, was no longer subject to man (cf. 1 Cor. 15:21,22). Even though Jesus was above angels in rank (1:4-14), He humbled Himself and became a man (Phil. 2:5-8), one ``a little lower than the angels'' (2:7,9). Why would Jesus for a time become lower than angels? First, to restore man to his former glory (vv. 9-13). He suffered a death crowned with glory and honor for every man (v. 9). By such He is able to bring ``many sons unto glory'' (v. 10). He was also made perfect, wholly fitted, to be our author, or leader, in salvation (v. 10; cf. 5:7-9). Since He became a man like you and I, He is one of us and therefore calls us brethren (vv. 11-13). As His brethren we shall be glorified with Him (cf. Rom. 8:16,17). Jesus became a man so he could restore man with the glory and honor he lost in the Garden of Eden (see also Rom. 8:29,30). Second, to destroy the power of Satan, redeeming man from the bondage of death (vv. 14-16). When man sinned in the Garden of Eden he lost power over death. Jesus became flesh and blood like you and I so He could, through the death on the cross, ``bring to nought him that had the power of death...the devil'' (v. 14). When Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected from the dead on the third day, He conquered over death and Satan (see Gen. 3:15; Matt. 16:18; 1 Cor. 15:21,22). By this triumph over death He was able to deliver us from the bondage of death (v. 15; cf. Jn. 8:31-36). What man lost in the Garden of Eden, Jesus regained at Calvary. Jesus lowered Himself to become a man to help men. He did not lower Himself to help angels (v. 16). Third, to become qualified to be man's High Priest before God (vv. 17,18). When Jesus lowered Himself to become a man He became ``in all things...like unto his brethren'' (v. 17). This was necessary so He could become a ``merciful and faithful High Priest.'' To be merciful is to be compassionate or sympathetic. By experiencing the infirmities and trials of life He was able to feel the necessity of being faithful in the office of High Priest which involves two responsibilities: offering sacrifices and making intercession. Jesus had to become a man so He might sympathize with us and so He might be faithful to the great trust committed to Him to be our High Priest. Indeed He has been faithful in offering THE atoning sacrifice for all men. ___________________________________________ NEWS & NOTES We rejoice in the recent restoration of Joe Music, and we are also glad to have Joe back with us as a faithful member in the congregation here. Let us pray that all will continue to go well for him in his walk with the Lord. We continue to have new visitors from time to time; and if you are one today, we want you to know that we are grateful for the honor of your presence. Please come again. If you live in our area and are in need of a ride to our services, feel free to call. One of us will provide you with transportation. ___________________________________________ Facing the Challenges by Greg Gwin In times of crisis, individuals can accomplish incredible things--things that ordinarily would be beyond their ability to achieve. We've all heard examples of nearly superhuman feats that were performed under extreme circumstances. For instance, men have been known to lift the weight of an automobile in order to free a person trapped underneath. Normally this would be beyond their ability, but in an emergency situation they succeed. Or, we're told of soldiers who do amazing and spectacular things in the heat of battle when their comrades are in danger. There's a spiritual lesson to be learned here. Too often we go about our spiritual service to God without a good recognition of the crisis situation that exists around us. We are under attack--from both within and without the body of Christ. The forces of Satan are advancing against us and we hardly seem to notice. And, since we are basically unaware of the danger, we never accomplish anything terribly significant for the cause of Christ. We need to wake up. Have a good look at the crisis situation that surrounds us. It is a time for courage and resolve. ``For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places'' (Ephesians 6:12). Christian, sense the danger! Realize the crisis! Recognize the battle facing us! Alone we would be helpless, but with God's help we can do amazing things in His service--but we have to be aware of the awesome challenges. He has promised, ``I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee'' (Hebrews 13:5). Let's get busy! -- Via The Old Path II, June 28, 1998 ___________________________________________ Going To Spiritual Battle WEARING THE UNIFORM by Bob Buchanon The story is told of a soldier during the Civil War who decided to escape the dangers of the battle. He took two uniforms, one a federal uniform and one a rebel, and carefully sewed them together down the middle seam. He thought he could walk through the firing line with each side thinking he was their ally. The only problem was that he walked the wrong way and was shot by both sides. This is the danger of attempting to be soldiers for two sides. The apostle Paul told Timothy, ``endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier'' (2 Tim. 2:3-4). The person who voluntarily enlisted in the Lord's army should be prepared to wear the uniform proudly and with honor. Paul describes this uniform (or armor) in Ephesians 6 as consisting of truth, righteousness, gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and sword of the Spirit. The Christian must wear his uniform in such a manner so as to be recognizable to both the enemy and the fellow-soldiers on the Lord's side. ________________________________________ 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 ________________________________________