11/26/14

From Jim McGuiggan... Luke 2:8-20: Don't be afraid


Luke 2:8-20: Don't be afraid

In Luke 2:8-20 the pastures are filled with sheep, the sky is filled with angelic glory and the shepherd hearts are filled with fear. And why wouldn’t they be afraid? Would you yawn your way through such an experience? But the angel of the Lord said, "Don’t be afraid." I wasn’t there but I know as sure as Sunday follows Saturday that he wasn’t yelling at them or bullying them into peace. Whatever his tone it wasn’t peevish and born out of impatience. It was assurance he was giving and not an order! No parent with a grain of sense would scream "enjoy yourself!" at the children thinking that that would enable them to do it. Yelling "live!" at a corpse doesn't work! 

The fear of the shepherds turned to joy when they heard the message the angel had to bring and when they checked it out at the stable. "Don’t be afraid because..." The reasons for their fear were dealt with in a message of assurance!

Some poor souls are born fearful, they are too high-strung. They don’t need a special occasion to make them tremble. They were born trembling and their social and family environments made the world an awful place. They aren’t one of the "beautiful people" or the "life and soul of the party" types so they’re forever hovering around on the outside of the circle, barely in touch and barely noticed. And as yet they aren’t able to tell those lovely stories about being "the kid that was never picked to play" but then things changed. For them nothing has yet changed and the deep fear that they never will is getting deeper! No one came along to kiss them and turn them from a frog into a prince and for them the beautiful song Somewhere over the Rainbow still ends with heartache and "why can’t I?"

And heartfelt religion doesn’t help them because the kind of religion they get is a ceaseless stream of moralizing, and "let’s all do better" and "let’s make his church grow" and "let’s get involved in the church’s programs" and "let’s give more money" and "let’s..." And it’s precisely because they take their religion seriously that these fearful people are even more afraid. Others are able to shrug and let the preacher babble on but not these people! They’re afraid not to take everything he says seriously but for more reasons than they know they can’t get up for the many challenges the vibrant ministers hand out. And then there are the fear-filled preachers...

Some fools among us mistake their fearlessness for faith. And more stupidly they somehow think they’re self-made! They never knew fear and came out of the womb ready to take on the world and when they came to Christ the assurance he offered only added to the calm that was already theirs as a result of genetic or neural circuitry, early life’s experiences or whatever. And because they were gifted and shaped into world-beaters they tend to think everyone should be the same. But they’re not the same! Those who are so well put together inside know no fear of rejection or failure, they career through life laughing at trouble and finding adventure in everything. Because they know no fear, or because when it comes they have the inner strength to shove it aside they’re tempted to look down on the fearful. For the brave among us the fear of the fearful is easily viewed as failure to be a true Christian and passages like Revelation 21:8 are brought in to threaten the fearful with hell. "God hasn't given us the spirit of fear," the fearful are told; but then nobody's claiming that he did but that doesn't change the fact that many of us are troubled by irrational fears! Keep feeding us something that will control fear and finally obliterate it.

You can’t make fearful people fearless by screaming at them or scorning them or threatening them with dire punishments because they're fearful. And it isn’t courage that leads us to savage such people—it’s stupidity and arrogance. If a man is brawling with a life-threatening cancer we rightly sympathize with him and speak encouragement and assurance to him. If a poor soul is brawling with paralysis through fear we demand that she heal herself! Who would choose to live the torment some of these people endure? Would you tell me that? But if we think we can’t help them then in God’s name let’s get out of the way and let others have a shot at it! I know people like us are a real burden and sometimes we're viewed as a real pain in the neck; that makes sense but Jesus took us in.
I don’t say all fear is of the same kind or that it runs equally deep in everyone’s experience and I’m sure that the help offered must be tailored depending on the person and his or her situation. I believe that what Christ said about the poor is true. In a world shaped like this "you will always have the poor with you" and in a world like this we’ll always have the fearful. I don’t know enough to heal all my own fears much less those of every one else but I know we need to dive into the massive truths of gospel that is brought to us in Jesus Christ. I know that we need to talk to people about their destiny as individuals and why they are in the world at all. I know that the God that came to us in Jesus Christ is a Father to us all and that the thought of him should strike joy into longing hearts. And I know that we need to restructure our whole thinking about suffering in the world and show it to be redemptive. However we speak or sing or behave it should be to echo the uplifting message of the angel to the shepherds, "Don’t be afraid because..." In God's name continue to give us reasons rather than your ranting.

Laying On of Hands by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=3782

Laying On of Hands

by  Dave Miller, Ph.D.

The ability to perform miracles in the first century church was granted by God in essentially two ways: baptism of the Holy Spirit and the laying on of the apostles’ hands. The Bible only mentions the former avenue as occurring twice (Acts 2 and Acts 10), and then only for special and limited purposes, with a third occurrence implied in connection with Paul’s unique calling (Acts 9:15; 22:21; Romans 1:5; 11:13; 1 Corinthians 15:8; Galatians 1:16; 2:7-8; et al. See Miller, 2003). The latter avenue is specifically described by Luke in his account of the initial proclamation of the Gospel to the Samaritans:
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:14-19, emp. added).
Since the New Testament expounds no other means by which any person may receive ability to perform miracles, it inevitably follows that no person living on Earth today has miraculous capability. Holy Spirit baptism was unique, exclusive, and limited at the beginning of the church, and no apostles are alive today to impart miraculous ability to anyone.
Some have challenged the exclusivity of the role of the apostles in their unique ability to impart miraculous capability by calling attention to the admonition given by Paul to Timothy: “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership” (1 Timothy 4:14, emp. added). Based on this verse, some insist that the apostles were not the only conduit through which God would/will impart miraculous ability. Does the New Testament clarify this situation?
In 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul plainly declared that the “gift of God” which Timothy possessed was conferred “through the laying on of my hands.” How does one harmonize 1 Timothy 4:14 with 2 Timothy 1:6? Was Timothy’s miraculous ability conferred upon him by Paul, by the eldership, or by both? The grammar of the text provides the answer. In 2 Timothy 1:6, where Paul claimed sole credit for imparting the gift to Timothy, the Holy Spirit employed the Greek preposition dia with the genitive, which means “through” or “by means of ” (Machen, 1923, p. 41; Dana and Mantey, 1927, p. 101). However, in 1 Timothy 4:14, where Paul included the eldership in the action of impartation, he employed a completely different Greek preposition—meta. The root meaning of meta is “in the midst of ” (Dana and Mantey, p. 107). It denotes “the attendant circumstances of something that takes place”—the “accompanying phenomena” (Arndt and Gingrich, 1957, pp. 510-511, emp. added). It means “in association with” or “accompanied by” (Moule, 1959, p. 61; Thayer, 1901, p. 404; cf. Robertson, 1934, p. 611). In other words, Paul—as an apostle—imparted the miraculous gift to Timothy. It came from God through Paul. However, on that occasion, the local eldership of the church was present and participated with Paul in the event, lending their simultaneous support and accompanying commendation. After examining the grammatical data on the matter, Nicoll concluded: “[I]t was the imposition of hands by St. Paul that was the instrument used by God in the communication of the charisma to Timothy” (1900, 4:127; cf. Jamieson, et al., n.d., 2:414; Williams, 1960, p. 956). Consequently, 1 Timothy 4:14 provides no proof that miraculous capability could be received through other means in addition to apostolic imposition of hands and the two clear instances of Holy Spirit baptism.
[NOTE: For a more thorough study of miracles, see "Modern-Day Miracles, Tongue-Speaking, and Holy Spirit Baptism: A Refutation—EXTENDED VERSION"]

REFERENCES

Arndt, William and F.W. Gingrich (1957), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press).
Dana, H.E. and Julius Mantey (1927), A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament (Toronto, Canada: Macmillan).
Jamieson, Robert, A.R. Fausset, and David Brown (no date), A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).
Machen, J. Gresham (1923), New Testament Greek for Beginners (Toronto, Canada: Macmillan).
Miller, Dave (2003), “Modern-Day Miracles, Tongue-Speaking, and Holy Spirit Baptism: A Refutation—EXTENDED VERSION,” http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=11&article=1399.
Moule, C.F.D. (1959), An Idiom-Book of New Testament Greek (Cambridge: University Press, 1977 reprint).
Nicoll, W. Robertson, ed. (1900), The Expositor’s Greek Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
Robertson, A.T. (1934), A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press).
Thayer, J.H. (1901), Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1977 reprint).
Williams, George (1960), The Student’s Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel), sixth edition.

From Mark Copeland... Hard Hearts And Hard Thoughts (Mark 3:1-6)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                 Hard Hearts And Hard Thoughts (3:1-6)

INTRODUCTION

1. We have seen the criticism that Jesus endured from religious
   leaders...
   a. When He claimed to forgive sins - Mk 2:6-7
   b. When He dined with sinners - Mk 2:16
   c. When His disciples plucked grain on the Sabbath - Mk 2:23-24

2. Conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders escalated, from
   criticism to conniving...
   a. When the Pharisees sought opportunity to accuse Him - Mk 3:1-2
   b. When Jesus healed a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath - Mk 3:3-5
   c. When the Pharisees began conspiring with the Herodians to destroy
      Jesus - Mk 3:6

3. On this occasion, I am struck by hardness of the Pharisees' hearts...
   a. Which moved Jesus to grief and anger - Mk 3:5
   b. Which indubitably led to their hardness of plotting to destroy
      Jesus - Mk 3:6

[Apparently unable to appreciate the healing of a suffering man, it is
easy to be critical of the Pharisees' "Hard Hearts And Hard Thoughts".
Yet if we are not careful, we can be guilty of the same...]

I. CONSIDER THE PROBLEM

   A. OF HARD HEARTS...
      1. Has been around for a long time (Cain, Pharaoh, Israel)
      2. It leads to spiritual dullness - an inability to see truth
         a. Which prompted Jesus to teach the public in parables - Mt 13:13-15
         b. Which hindered His disciples from understanding the obvious
            - Mk 8:13-21; 16:14
      3. It leads to mental resistance - a refusal to consider what
         might be true
         a. As seen in our text with the Pharisees
         b. They were blinded to the good Jesus had done
      4. The end result is calamity! - cf. Pro 28:14
      -- Hardness of heart is a very serious problem!

   B. OF HARD THOUGHTS...
      1. Hard hearts produce hard thoughts (e.g., the plot to destroy
         Jesus)
         a. The Pharisees and Herodians were unable to see the good that
            Jesus was doing
         b. They became co-belligerents, though normally opposed to one
            another
      2. Very similar to what we see in today's political environment
         a. An inability to see any good in the opposition
         b. A willingness to engage in the politics of personal
            destruction
         c. Plotting to destroy by any means possible
      3. The same occurs often in the realm of religious differences
         a. In our efforts to stand firm for the truth
         b. We can easily begin to think ill of neighbors, co-workers,
            even brethren!
         c. It becomes evident in the way we treat others (ignore,
            malign, abuse)
      4. Hard thoughts thus lead to verbal abuse and physical violence
      -- Hard thoughts don't remain thoughts very long, they transform
         into deeds!

[Since the problems of "Hard Hearts And Hard Thoughts" are real and
serious, what can be done...?]

II. CONSIDER THE ALTERNATIVE

   A. FOR HARD HEARTS...
      1. We can nurture a tender, compassionate heart; by remembering:
         a. Our own weaknesses and need for forgiveness - Ep 4:32; Co 3:12-13
         b. The condemnation of those without compassion - Mt 18:33-35;
            Ja 2:13
      2. This will help create good and noble hearts, with fair minds
         like:
         a. The good soil in the parable of the sower - Lk 8:15
         b. The Bereans willing to give Paul a fair hearing - Ac 17:11
      -- Tender hearts are created by remembering our own failings

   B. FOR HARD THOUGHTS...
      1. Tender hearts will address the problem of hard thoughts
      2. But kind thoughts can be further nurtured by:
         a. Dwelling on things that are noble and pure - Ph 4:8
         b. Developing the mind of Christ - Ph 2:3-5
      3. Such tender minds will be characterized by:
         a. Lowliness of mind, esteeming others better than ourselves
         b. Looking out for the interests of others
      -- Tender minds are the result of growing in Christ

CONCLUSION

1. Consider the following contrast between...
   a. The mindset of the Pharisees and the Herodians - cf. Mk 3:6
   b. The mindset enjoined by the apostle Peter - cf. 1 Pe 3:8-12

2. What kind of mindset do we have...?
   a. One filled with hard thoughts produced by hard hearts?
   b. One filled with kind thoughts produced by tender hearts?

The goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering of God is designed to
produce the latter.  But if we remain hard-hearted against God and man,
we will experience the wrath of God in the day of judgment...

   Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance,
   and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads
   you to repentance?

   But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart
   you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath
   and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.
                                                       - Ro 2:4-5

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Mark Copeland... Lord Of The Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                     Lord Of The Sabbath (2:23-28)

INTRODUCTION

1. As noted previously, the ministry of Jesus prompted close scrutiny by
   religious leaders...
   a. As when the scribes took issue with His claim to forgive sins - Mk 2:6-7
   b. As when the scribes and Pharisees took issue with His dining with
      sinners - Mk 2:16

2. One issue in particular produced a strong reaction:  the Sabbath and
   its observance...
   a. At first, it involved Jesus' disciples plucking grain on the
      Sabbath - Mk 2:23-24
   b. Later, Jesus would be criticized for healing on the Sabbath - cf.
      Mk 3:1-2

3. On the occasion involving Jesus' disciples plucking grain...
   a. The Pharisees said it was unlawful - Mk 2:24
   b. Actually, it was contrary to rabbinical tradition, but not the Law
      per se

4. In answering the Pharisees, Jesus stated two notable things...
   a. "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." - Mk 2:27
   b. "Therefore the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath." - Mk 2:28

[These statements will serve as the basis for this study, beginning with
the idea that...]

I. THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR MAN

   A. THE INSTITUTION OF THE SABBATH...
      1. The Sabbath was first commanded to Israel in the Wilderness
         - Exo 16:23-30
      2. It had previously been unknown to them - cf. Neh 9:14
      3. It was then codified in the Ten Commandments - Exo 20:8-10
      4. As part of the Covenant not given to the patriarchs, but to
         Israel - Deut 5:2-3
      -- The Sabbath was not commanded by God until the time of Moses

   B. THE BASIS OF THE SABBATH...
      1. Based on the fact that God Himself rested on the Seventh Day
         - Exo 20:11
      2. Inserted as a prolepsis by Moses in his Genesis account - cf.
         Gen 2:3
      3. Given to Israel as a special sign between them and God - Exo 31:13-17
      4. Given to remind them of their slavery in Egypt - Deut 5:15
      -- The Sabbath was given only to Israel as part of the Law of
         Moses

[Man was made first, and even existed for millenniums before the Sabbath
was ever commanded (see The Sabbath Day for more detail).  Thus the
Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  Next we notice the
claim made by Jesus that...]

II. THE SON OF MAN IS LORD OF THE SABBATH

   A. WITH AUTHORITY TO INTERPRET ITS USE...
      1. As the Son of Man, Jesus was complete and perfect manhood
         a. Since the Sabbath was made for man, the Son of Man was
            rightly the Lord of the Sabbath
         b. He could decide what was permissible, or what was forbidden
      2. As the Son of God, ever one with the Father, He had given the
         Sabbath in the first place! - cf. Jn 1:1-2; 8:58; 10:30; 17:21
      3. Jesus demonstrated  His Lordship by the superiority of His
         reply to the Pharisees
         a. Jesus first appealed to example of David and his men - Mk 2:
            25-26; cf. 1Sa 21:1-6
         b. Matthew adds the example of priests working in the temple on
            the Sabbath - cf. Mt 12:5
         c. Note that Jesus appealed to Scripture to make His point
            ("Have you never read...?")
         d. And what was Jesus' point?  Consider the following:
            1) "A higher law, where it conflicts with a lower one,
               suspends or limits the lower one at the point of
               conflict. Thus the higher laws of worship in the temple
               suspended the lower law of Sabbath observance, and thus
               also the higher law of mercy suspended the lower law as
               to the showbread when David took it and mercifully gave
               it to his hungry followers, and when God in mercy
               permitted this to be done." - J. W. McGarvey, The
               Fourfold Gospel
            2) "And thus, had they done what was otherwise unlawful, the
               disciples would have been justified in eating by the
               higher law of Christ's service. And thus also would
               Christ have been justified in permitting them to eat by
               the law of mercy, which was superior to that which
               rendered the seventh day to God as a sacrifice." - ibid.
         e. Thus by using Scripture Jesus effectively silenced their
            objection based on tradition!
      -- As Lord of the Sabbath, He had sovereign authority to interpret
         its use

   B. WITH AUTHORITY TO RESCIND ITS USE...
      1. If He so willed, Jesus could discontinue the Sabbath
         requirement - cf. He 1:3 ("upholding all things by the word of
         His power")
      2. In fact, Jesus has brought the Law (of which the Sabbath was
         part) to an end!
         a. Through His death on the cross - cf. Ep 2:14-16
         b. Having nailed it to the cross - cf. Col 2:14
         c. Jews who come to Christ die to the Law - cf. Ro 7:4-7
         d. The Old Covenant has been replaced by the New Covenant -
            2Co 3:6-11; He 8:6-13
      3. That Jesus ended the Sabbath requirement is evident
         a. "So let no one judge you in food or drink, or regarding...
            sabbaths" - Col 2:16
         b. "One person esteems one day above another; another esteems
            every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own
            mind." - Ro 14:5
         c. Thus Christians assemble on the first day of the week to
            worship - Ac 20:7; 1Co 16:1-2
      -- As Lord of the Sabbath, He has chosen to rescind its use

CONCLUSION

1. Controversy over the observance of the Sabbath has been around for a
   long time...
   a. The manner of its observance was a major issue during Jesus'
      ministry
   b. The need for its observance is still questioned by some today

2. But when we pay close attention to the teaching of "The Lord Of The
   Sabbath"...
   a. We will reach conclusions based on Scripture rather than tradition
   b. We will find that the Lord who ordained the Sabbath has rescinded
      its use

While we appreciate the role of the Sabbath in Israel's history, let us
be sure that it is the Lord of the Sabbath that we worship, and not the
Sabbath itself...

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Mark Copeland... Of Wine And Wineskins (Mark 2:22)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                      Of Wine And Wineskins (2:22)

INTRODUCTION

1. When Jesus was questioned about fasting, He replied with three
   illustrations...
   a. Bridegroom and friends - Mk 2:19-20
   b. Patches and garments - Mk 2:21
   c. Wine and wineskins - Mk 2:22

2. The illustration most remembered is that of wine and wineskins...
   a. Jesus used it to show the incongruity of mixing His gospel with
      the Judaistic system
   b. Others have taken the illustration much farther, often to teach
      things Jesus did not

[One might make a broader use of the illustration of wine and wineskins,
but the end result should not contradict Jesus' own use of it.  Taking a
closer look, let's first note some...]

I. IMPLICATIONS OF THE ILLUSTRATION

   A. NEW WINE IMPLIES NEW BLESSINGS...
      1. Jesus implied His teaching would be like new wine, requiring
         new wineskins
      2. This "new wine" would include blessings for those who believe
         in Him
      3. For example, true forgiveness of sins through His sacrifice
         - cf. He 10:10-12
      4. Also, the blessing of the Spirit in some new way - cf. Jn 7:
         37-39
      -- New wine:  new blessings for those who would be His disciples

   B. NEW WINESKINS IMPLIES NEW STRUCTURES...
      1. Jesus intimated that His blessings would be packaged anew in
         new wineskins
      2. The "new wineskins" would be the means by which blessings
         are presented and preserved
      3. For example, through baptism instead of circumcision - cf. Co 2:11-13
      4. Also, through a spiritual tabernacle rather than a physical one
         - cf. He 9:9-11
      5. Jesus gave His apostles the "structure" by which He wanted His
         blessings to be presented and shared (i.e., apostolic doctrine)
         - e.g., Ac 2:42; 1Co 4:17; 11:2; 14:33-37
      -- New wineskins:  new structures by which those blessings would
         be enjoyed

[Once we properly understand the implications of Jesus' use of wine and
wineskins, we are less likely to misuse it should we make broader
application.  Allow me, if I may, to offer four...]

II. EXTENSIONS OF THE ILLUSTRATION

   A. SOME PUT JESUS' WINE IN OLD TESTAMENT WINESKINS...
      1. That is what Jesus said would be inappropriate in regards to
         fasting
      2. That is, trying to force Jesus' "wine" into the wineskins of
         the Old Testament
      3. Even so, note some examples in which people have done this:
         a. Ritualistic fasting instead of appropriate fasting - Didache
            8:1-2
         b. Separate priesthood instead of the priesthood of all
            believers - 1Pe 2:5,9
         c. Instrumental music instead of making melody with the heart
            - Ep 5:19
         d. Infant baptism, based on the OT rite of circumcision - cf.
            Col 2:11-12
      -- Early on, many have tried to enwrap Jesus' "wine" with OT
         "wineskins"

   B. SOME PUT JESUS' WINE IN THEIR OWN WINESKINS...
      1. Others try to package Jesus' "wine" in the wineskins of modern
         concepts
      2. They respect the "aged wine", but feel it needs to be
         re-packaged
      3. Thus the frequent call for change, in such areas as:
         a. Church organization (denominationalism, sponsoring churches)
         b. Church worship (modern dance, praise teams)
         c. Church work (social programs, family entertainment)
         d. Church leadership (popes, metropolitan bishops, priests,
            team leaders, women pastors)
      -- This attitude fails to appreciate the value of the original
         "wineskin"

   C. SOME PUT THEIR OWN WINE IN JESUS' WINESKINS...
      1. Then some believe the Spirit is guiding them to new revelation
      2. While they may respect the "old wineskin", they want "new wine"
      3. Thus the call to update the teaching of the church, in such
         areas as:
         a. New doctrines (social gospel, liberation theology, health
            and wealth gospel)
         b. New lifestyles (divorce and remarriage, homosexuality,
            same-sex marriages)
      -- This attitude fails to appreciate the value of the original
         "wine"

   D. SOME PUT THEIR OWN WINE IN THEIR OWN WINESKINS...
      1. Some believe the Spirit guides them to make total changes
      2. Changing both the message (wine) and the organization
         (wineskin)
      3. Examples of such extreme makeovers include:
         a. Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists
         b. Others with their parachurch organizations
      -- This attitude reflects disregard for both the original "wine"
         and "wineskin"

CONCLUSION

1. Many believe we can simply discard the "wine" and "wineskin" Jesus
   gave...
   a. That we can repackage His wine with wineskins as we see fit
   b. That we can even replace His wine with new wines of our own

2. Dare we presume to believe that we can improve on anything Jesus has
   given us...?
   a. The blessings which are all-sufficient to life and godliness?
      - cf. 2Pe 1:3
   b. The structures which have presented and preserved these blessings?
      - cf. 2Ti 3:16-17; Jude 3

3. After two millennia, Jesus' "new wine" is now "old"...
   a. But like literal wine, the old is better than the new
   b. Best served from the container in which it has been preserved

Rather than coming up with "new wine" and "new wineskins" of our own
making, we should seek that given by Jesus and His apostles.  Therefore
the words of Jeremiah seem appropriate...

   Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the
   old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will
   find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in
   it.'" - Jer 6:16

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Gary... Something new

http://cbs.barnold.us/Cbs/Index.php
 


My good friend, Bruce Arnold, put my new Bible "Reading plan Spreadsheet" on the Composite Bible Program Website today.  Basically, open the website, then click on application, studies and then Reading plan Spreadsheet.  This MS Excel Worksheet will allow a choice of nine different Bible Reading Plans, which can be easily configured to a new starting date.  If you try a plan and want to change to another one, just type in a new date and then print out your assignments.  No more starting on January 1st only!!!

Reading your Bible is one of the surest ways to grow as a Christian!!!  Read the word, study it and then do everything you can to practice it. Remember Paul's admonition to Timothy...

2 Timothy, Chapter 3 (WEB)

14 But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.  15 From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.  16 Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,  17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.