From Ben Fronczek... Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday  (April 1, 2012)

Today is what traditionally we know as Palm Sunday. Therefore I would like to talk about the story from the Bible which Palm Sunday is named after. It began one Sunday morning as Jesus was walking toward Jerusalem. He sends 2 of his disciples ahead of Him into a nearby village to carry out a special errand. 

Here is how Luke records that event:  Read: Luke 19:28-31  

“²⁸ After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ³⁰ “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

The two disciples must have wondered about what Jesus told them to do.  Before this none of the Gospel accounts ever mention Jesus riding any animal to get from one place to another. He must have walked hundreds of miles up & down the land we now call the “Holy Land,” but there is no mention of Him ever riding on anything, except in a boat across the Sea of Galilee.

But now, He gives this unusual command, to go into the village to get a colt that had never been ridden, and to bring it to Him. It must have seemed like a strange command to them. He even tells them the exact words they are to use should anyone question them. They are to say, “The Lord needs it.”  Was this prearranged? Did the owners know what Jesus was going to do? We don’t know. It is obvious, though, that Jesus knew what He was going to face in the city of Jerusalem. So His decision to go into Jerusalem must have been one of the most thought out and difficult things that Jesus ever did as a man apart from the cross itself. To ride into the city on a colt, rather than to walk into it as He had often done before, must have been a difficult decision in itself. Why?  Because riding a colt into the city was making a bold statement. Such a act, the way He came in, was only done by a King. In times of war the conqueror would ride upon a prancing stallion. But in times of peace, the king would ride a colt to symbolize that peace prevailed. So, for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem upon a colt is to publically declare that He Himself was a King.

I. Now how would the people respond to this? Would they recognize that His Kingdom was not of this world – that it was a spiritual kingdom, and that He was to be a spiritual King? Small chance!  He had been teaching them that for 3 1/2 years, and up to the very day He assended back to Heaven His closest disciples had not learned that lesson this and still were asking Him if He was Going to set up.  Read Acts 1:4-9

A. Perhaps some of them would greet Him with laughter. Maybe they would be amused by what Jesus was doing. After all, it was a rather ridiculous picture. ‘Here is a carpenter declaring Himself to be a King! ‘

Perhaps some would think, “He is a lunatic, living in a world of fantasy – imagining Himself to be a King!”

B. Others would probably greet Him with anger – upset because they would interpret His riding into the city as arrogance & blasphemy against God.

C. Of course, many would hail Him with joy, welcoming Him as an earthly King, who came to reestablish the throne of David, & overthrow the Roman Empire. They were ready & eager to place a crown upon His head.

D. Among the crowds would also be people He had healed. Some had been among the thousands He had fed. Many more had seen some of His miracles, & listened as “He spoke with authority.” They had listened, & their lives had been changed.

I believe Jesus knew what to expect. He knew that just over the horizon was the cross, looming like a monster ready to consume Him. But Luke tells us that in spite of it all, Jesus headed into Jerusalem anyway.

II. I can imagine that as Jesus rides down toward the gate of the city, the crowds are growing, & there is a festive air, for it is Passover and pilgrims are gathering from far and near for this greatest of all Jewish holidays. It when the Jews remembered and celebrated the events when God had freed them from the Egyptians during the time of Moses when the angel of death passed over the Jew’s first born and destroyed the Egyptian’s first born.  It was a celebration og God’s grace and their freedom from bondage.

A. Even before Jesus had arrive, I am sure the news spread that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. You can imagine the excitement that prevails.  (To read the story read or click on John 11:1-44) Can you just imagine some of the people saying, “Have you heard the news? Lazarus died, & was buried in a tomb so long that his body was starting to decay. But this teacher from Nazareth called, `Lazarus, come forth’ & Lazarus came forth. I saw him! They stripped away the grave clothing, & he actually walked & breathed & lived again! Surely only the Messiah – only the Son of God could do that!”   News like that would travel quickly from one person to another.

Finally when Jesus was ready to enter the city, great crowds had collected on both sides of the road. They were there! They had cut palm branches & were shouting, “Hosanna to the king!” Excitement prevailed throughout the whole city!

B. Then Jesus looked over His waiting audience. He must have seen the mixture of expressions on their faces.

1. There were those who loved Him: Perhaps Bartimaeus was there, a man who had received his sight, no longer in his beggar’s rags. How about Zacchaeus? He had paid back his debt to society, & had made his peace with God. And the lepers? Their skin had been cleansed & now they were rejoicing for the healing that the Lord had given them.

2. There were also sinister faces there. Faces with squinty eyes, waiting for Him to say one wrong word – to make one mistake.  The Sadducees & Pharisees were there.
And then there were the Romans probably fearing a revolt and watching for any sign of rebellion against Rome. They would be ready and waiting to crush any uprising.

Jesus also probably realized, as He listened to their “Hosannas,” that soon the voices of love, that those crying for Him to be King would soon be crying, “Crucify Him!” or they would simply stand aside, and say nothing at all.

C. Now Jesus is descending along the road from the Mt. of Olives, across the brook, toward the gate, the crowds pressing around Him. I wonder how the apostles were reacting to all of this? Were they excited and happy or anxious?

All these faces were in Jerusalem – loving faces – sinister faces – the curious. Crowds trampling almost one upon another – when………………..

III. MAYBE THE WHOLE PROCESSION STOPPED SLOWED TO A STAND-STILL
 

A. But why? The people who were closest to Jesus could see , that it was Jesus who slowed down… and His mood seem to have changed.  Then they saw Him. Then they saw His face, and they saw sorrow and tears. He was crying.

B. The Scripture tells us that Jesus reacted emotionally many times from different scenes that He saw. When He saw the poor, when He saw the hungry. when He saw people sinning, when He saw the ill, the Scriptures say repeatedly that “…He had compassion on them.”

But it only records two occasions that Jesus cried. One time He cried at the grave of Lazarus. You remember, Mary & Martha were both weeping, & it says that Jesus wept with them. He wept for them. He entered into their grief with compassion and He identified with their sorrow and despair.

IV. BUT WHY WAS JESUS CRYING HERE, the 2nd occasion? He looked at the city of Jerusalem and He saw the mixture of faces & the masses of humanity crowding there - and He realized the emptiness of their lives and the effect it would eventually have on them. They had not understood the message of peace. Most of them did not understand the purpose of His coming or even who He was.

Read Luke 19:41-44. 

“⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴² and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴ They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

They had eyes, but they didn’t see. They had ears, but they didn’t hear. They missed the whole point of the message that God had given to them.

A. The fact they waved palm branches showed that they didn’t understand, because that is exactly what they did when the Maccabees overthrew the Syrian oppressors &

reestablished worship in the temple. The palm branch was a symbol of triumph and victory in pre-Christian times. The Romans rewarded champions of the games and celebrated military successes with palm branches.

By waving palm branches they were showing that they expected Jesus to be another warlord – another general of the armies – one who would lead them to overthrow the Romans. They were saying that they were ready to pick up their swords & shields & go to war if He would lead them!

B. But in other places Jesus said, 

“I didn’t come for that purpose. I came to show you a more excellent way. I came to show you the way of love.” He had said, “Love your enemies & pray for those who persecute you. If someone smites you on the cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone wants your coat, give him your shirt as well. If they command you to carry their pack a mile, go two.”    (Read Matthew 5:38-48)

Those people who listened to Him must have thought, “Well, those are beautiful words, but surely He doesn’t mean Rome? He doesn’t expect us to love Rome? Only a lunatic would command you to love Rome. We can’t love Rome!” But don’t you see – that was exactly what He was saying? “Love even Rome – because Rome with her mighty army has seen the power of the sword. But Rome has not seen the power of love. Show them the love of God!”

C. Right there the nation of Israel had the opportunity to show Rome something new & different than all other nations. But because they didn’t understand Jesus – because they completely misunderstood who He was and His mission – Jesus wept over them because the opportunity would be taken away & they would never have it again.

These were God’s people – God’s chosen people. God had loved them & led them across the wilderness & into the Promised Land. But they did not understand that the Messiah, that God Himself was walking in their midst. Because of that, Jesus wept.

D. What He did see as He sat upon the beast of burden? Rather than seeing the towering Temple of God silhouetted against the sky, He saw beyond that – into years immediately ahead – He saw the armies of Titus surrounding the Holy City and the Temple stones being torn down & the whole city leveled.

He saw their bodies in the streets & blood running in the gutters & hundreds of thousands of people crying because they are starving to death while Titus waits for Jerusalem to surrender. All of that because they didn’t recognize the Messiah when He came! How different their lives could have been. How different the history of Israel could have been if they had only recognized the one who came into their midst, riding on a colt. (For more historical information click on Destruction of Jerusalem)

It is Matthew who adds that as Jesus looked at the city He said,  

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem. How often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathers her chicks beneath her wings. But you would not come.”

In less than a week Jesus ‘walk His talk’ and would show all how much He love He had. He had come to that city to die on that cross for their sins, and even for the Romans, and for everyone who in faith would turn to Him and accept His wonderful gift. It was a gift of love that was being given to the world so that all could be made clean in God’s sight. That’s what happened that day so long ago. Five day later He would be arrested and severely beat until He was a bloody mess, and then He would be nailed to a wooden cross where He would die all of them and for you and me… because of our sins.

But so few then understood. Too few acknowledged Him for who He was nor did they appreciate what He was going to do for them. They had their own agenda… even for Him.

Today, just like the city of Jerusalem, we find ourselves in the presence of Jesus because He lives on. That’s what the Miracle of Easter is all about – His resurrection.  But I wonder what He finds when He looks at us, in our generation, into our faces? Does He see people like them who are concerned about so many other things…  - worried about income taxes – worried about their business or jobs – worried about their health, or lack of it? Does He see a generation of people who are more concerned about being entertained, or who are so busy that they never even bother to investigate or consider who He is and things that are eternally important? Is He weeping because He sees their destiny? Or does He see people who recognize Him for who He is? The Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God? The very word of God that became flesh. The one who loved us so much He was willing to suffer and die for us and pay for our sins. When He turns and looks into our lives, I wonder, will He weep once again because of what He sees? Or will He be happy and smile?

Today I challenge you to first of all to see Him and honor Him for who He is – our Savour, And then become one of those who will experienced the joy that passes all understanding when He stretched out His arms & says, “Well done, good & faithful servant. Enter into the joy of thy Lord”?  He wants to cut away all those sins from you so that enter Heaven. He promise believers that He Himself will cut away our sin while in the waters of Baptism. Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote in Colosians 2:9-13  

⁹ For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. ¹¹ In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, ¹²having been buried with him in baptism and raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.  ¹³ When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins”

Will you accept Jesus for who He is?  Will you allow Him circumcise or cut away your sin. I hope so, otherwise He may shed a tear for you. I also hope that you can help others understand who Jesus is as well. Let us all share Jesus’ message of love and cleansing, so that we to will enjoy a resuurection of our own.

For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566

From Jim McGuiggan... Romans: A Faithful & Relentless Lord (3)

Romans: A Faithful & Relentless Lord (3)

Chapter 3:21-5:21  In light of the truth that the whole world had rebelled against God the question might well arise (several forms of the question may well arise) why God left apostasy unpunished (stated positively, why he "passed over sin" during that long night). An answer comes in Romans 3:21-26 where God's (righteousness) faithfulness to his creation is shown in Jesus Christ. The human race wasn't obliterated (their sins were passed over) because the holy Father is lovingly committed to it, as Jesus Christ demonstrates. Since it is only by God's faithfulness, even in the face of sustained and aggressive rebellion, that creation continues in hope, no one can boast that they have any claim on God and since the Shema is true, it bears witness to God's faithfulness to the entire human race (3:27-31). This is true whatever else is true.

The faithfulness of God was always independent of the Mosaic Torah or any other expression of God's goodness and the work of Jesus demonstrated that it was independent of all that. He didn't purchase faithfulness from God by his death-his death was the revelation of the always existing (though often puzzling) faithfulness of God (3:21-26). The character of God is seen in the gracious Torah but God's faithfulness is bigger than the Torah and the gracious gift of the Torah. To limit it to that is to put in jeopardy the truth of his faithfulness to the entire creation. Paul argues from the Shema that the faithfulness of God (shown in Jesus Christ) must be a creation-wide faithfulness-3:27-31. And since it is faithfulness to an apostate human race it must be "good news" to all. For a generous and wise heart a promise to a drunken man is still a promise that needs to be kept. God sees his promise as a promise he will keep even if it's made to a world that has become a drunk.

Since there is one God there is one human family

Since there is one God the entire human family is loved by him

 God's faithfulness is revealed but not created by his redeeming work

 The faithfulness of God to the whole human race is seen in his choice of Abraham (and consequently of physical Israel)-4:1-25. It has nothing to do with prior human claims of any kind and it is independent of the possession of special revelation, peculiar birth situations, ordinances or liturgies of one kind or another. The good news that Paul has to proclaim is that God is righteous (faithful) and that that faithfulness has shown itself in Jesus Christ to the entire creation (humanity included). He will work out what that means for the entire creation in 8:18-39, and see 4:13.

Such faithfulness to humanity involves the oneness of humanity. It is one in its sin and it is one in being the object of the holy Father's loving commitment. The one father (Abraham) and one Father of us all are prior to the Torah that divided the human race into two families. The holy Father purposed to reconcile the whole world in Jesus Christ which means (in keeping with the Abrahamic covenant) that there would be one family. Abraham would be the father of that family through Jesus Christ (as noted in Galatians 3:26-29) to those who have the faith of their father Abraham (4:16).

The feeble Abraham wholly dependent on God

The universal outreach of the Abrahamic covenant

Abraham's faith in God and ours in the God seen in Jesus Christ

 But making the human family one in sin (in Adam) and one in the Jewish Messiah generates questions about physical Israel, "the seed of Abraham" and the Torah. What advantage did the Jew have by being God's elect (3:1)? Has God been faithful to his people since so many are now unblessed by their own Messiah (chapters 9-11), and, in light of 5:20, how is the Torah to be viewed? Is it evil, an enemy of the promises and anti-life? (The response is seen in 7:1-8:4.)

If the Torah was given (5:20) in order to (a hina clause expressing purpose rather than simple result-see 11:32) augment the trespass (the Adamic-5:15-19) that seems to speak ill of the Torah. If sin reigns through death and the Torah was given to augment the offence then the Torah must be anti-life and pro-death. It must be a "Torah of sin and death". And if it's that, then it looks like God didn't mean to fulfill his promises. His faithfulness comes into question.

Of course Paul goes on to say that where sin was increased God's faithful grace was more than a match for it. This might be true, but if augmented sin results in augmented grace and therefore more glory comes to God, it would appear the logical and right thing to do (since we live to bring God glory) would be to abide in sin that grace and God's glory might be increased. It sounds like Paul's gospel undermined and even denigrated the Torah by making abiding in sin a service for God (see 3:8,31).

 

As far as Paul was concerned Jews and Gentiles were all under sin. You could write across their history, "like Adam". And this was true even though the Jew had been given a revealed covenantal Torah. The Torah the Jewish nation gloried in stood in judgment over them and branded them "like Adam". Because of their sinfulness the covenant Torah became part of the failed human process.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... Essentials For Living The Christ-Like Life (Colossians 4:2-6)

                     "THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS"

            Essentials For Living The Christ-Like Life (4:2-6)

INTRODUCTION

1. In the last two chapters in his epistle to the Colossians, Paul
   exhorts them to live the kind of life that demonstrates their faith
   in Jesus Christ as the "All-Sufficient And Pre-Eminent Savior"
   a. In Col 3:1-11, he describes the "basics" of Christian living
   b. In Col 3:12-17, he describes the Christians' "apparel"
   c. And in Col 3:18-4:1, he discusses "guidelines" to govern
      Christian families

2. Prior to making his closing comments, he now gives three exhortations
   to his brethren that I am calling in this lesson, "Essentials To
   Living The Christ-Like Life"

[Beginning in Col 4:2-4, then, the Colossians as well as all Christians
are exhorted to...]

I. CONTINUE IN PRAYER (2-4)

   A. PRAYER THAT IS "FAITHFUL"...
      1. As Paul writes, "continue earnestly in prayer"
         a. Just as he wrote to the Romans - Ro 12:12
         b. And also to the Thessalonians - 1Th 5:17
      2. That people faithfully continue in prayer was a concern of our
         Lord as well
         a. He taught a parable that men always ought to pray - Lk 18:1
         b. He was concerned that when He returned, He might not find
            faith on the earth! - Lk 18:8
      3. We have several wonderful examples to serve as role models...
         a. David, a man after God's own heart - Ps 55:16-17
         b. Daniel, a man greatly beloved by God - Dan 6:10
         c. Anna, an elderly widow blessed to see the Christ-child
            - Lk 2:36-38
         d. Of course, Paul himself- Col 1:9
         e. And also Epaphras, himself a member of the church at Colosse
            - Col 4:12
      4. Many people pray only when there is a crisis - may that not be
         true of us!

   B. PRAYER THAT IS "WATCHFUL"...
      1. Or as Paul put it in our text, "be vigilant in it"
      2. On several occasions, Jesus warned His disciples to be watchful
         in prayer - Mk 13:32-33; Mt 26:41
      3. So His apostles warn us...
         a. Paul, in Ep 6:18
         b. Peter, in 1Pet 4:7
      4. Through "watchful" praying, we will not be caught unprepared
         by:
         a. Satan, and the temptation to sin
         b. Death, and the judgment to follow
         c. Christ, and the glories for those who are ready when He
            comes again

   C. PRAYER THAT IS "THANKFUL"...
      1. "with thanksgiving", Paul says
      2. Throughout his epistle to the Colossians, there has been an
         emphasis on being thankful - Col 1:3,12; 2:7; 3:15,17; 4:2
      3. As someone said, "We should thank God just as diligently in our
         prayers as we make requests of Him." - cf. also Php 4:6
      4. Let's be sure to "abound with thanksgiving"!
         a. Especially in light of Ro 1:21
         b. Where we see that ingratitude was one reason why God's wrath
            was being revealed from heaven!

   D. PRAYER THAT IS "PURPOSEFUL"...
      1. As Paul requested of his brethren in Colosse, "praying also for
         us..."
      2. Prayers are often too general in their requests, lacking
         specific purpose
      3. But as here in our text, Paul often asked for specific prayers
         in his behalf - e.g., Ro 15:30-32
      4. From our text in Colossians and elsewhere, what specific
         requests can we make for those preach and teach God's Word?
         a. Opportunity ("an open door") - Col 4:3; cf. 2Th 3:1
         b. Wisdom ("as I ought to speak") - Col 4:4
         c. Boldness - Ep 6:19-20

[As we endeavor to live the Christ-like life, make the right kind of
prayer a crucial element!  Prayer that is:

               *  faithful
               *  watchful
               *  thankful
               *  purposeful

The exhortation in verse 5 of our text is also crucial to living a
Christ-like life, especially when among those who are not Christians...]

II. WALK IN WISDOM (5)

   A. CHRISTIANS NEED TO BE CONCERNED WITH HOW THEY "WALK"...
      1. In other words, how they conduct themselves
      2. We are to walk in wisdom especially "toward those who are
         outside"
         a. By proper conduct, we can influence them for good - e.g.,
            1Pe 3:1-2
         b. The world is constantly making judgments concerning us by
            our conduct, and according to Jesus, this is their privilege
            - cf. Jn 13:35; 17:20-21

   B. ANOTHER REASON SUCH WISDOM IS IMPERATIVE IS "TIME"...
      1. To be exact, the lack of time!  - cf. Ep 5:15-17
         a. The time we have in this life is short
         b. We cannot afford to waste much of it through foolishness
         c. And there are some people who need Christ whose time left on
            this earth is even shorter than ours!
      2. So we need to "redeem" the time; i.e., make the most of the
         time we have

[Finally, as we consider these "Essentials To Living The Christ-Like
Life" found in our text, let's remember that it was said of Jesus that
people...

   "...marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His
   mouth." (Lk 4:22)

As His disciples, we should also...]

III. SPEAK WITH GRACE (6)

   A. THE POWER OF THE TONGUE IS VIVIDLY ILLUSTRATED IN JAMES 3...
      1. It effects the entire body - Jm 3:2
      2. It can have great destructive power - Jm 3:6
      3. It is inconsistent for us to use it for both good and evil
         - Jm 3:9-12

   B. THEREFORE WE NEED TO LEARN TO SPEAK "WITH GRACE"...
      1. As Paul also commanded in Ep 5:29
         a. No corrupt communication is to proceed out of our mouths
         b. Only that which edifies, imparting "grace to the hearers"
      2. Our speech is to be "seasoned with salt"
         a. Not to be confused with the "salty language" of some
            sailors!
         b. But rather speech properly flavored so that it well received
            by others
      3. We especially need to watch our language around those who are
         NOT Christians
         a. "that you may know how to answer each one" - Col 4:6
         b. "a servant of the Lord must not quarrel..." - 2Ti 2:23-26
      4. Are we as careful with our own speech, as we want others to be
         with their lives?
         a. Do we, who claim to be the disciples of Jesus Christ...
         b. ...speak the words of truth that come by Him in the same
            gracious manner He did?

CONCLUSION

1. These three simple exhortations, if truly heeded, can have a powerful
   impact on our lives:
   a. Our "prayer life" will likely be very different!
   b. Our "walk" (conduct) will be noted for its wisdom
   c. Our "speech" will be a source of encouragement to others

2. This is the essence of following Jesus Christ!  To allow Him to so
   live in us that by God's grace we experience a transformation that
   affects every aspect of our lives!

Speaking of the GRACE of God, have you taken advantage of what TIME it
is...? (cf. 2Co 6:1-2)

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Gary... Sometimes, beauty just makes you wonder

I found this picture of a sunrise in Sweden on the net and was immediately captivated by it.  It is beautiful, to be sure, but what attracted me to it was an image in made in my mind.  I could not help but think of the throne of God.  And, at the pinnacle of that large cloud in the center would be the actual throne itself, with God on the throne.  Listed below is the passage from the book of Revelation that I was thinking about...

Revelation, Chapter 22

 1 He showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,  2 in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  3 There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants serve him.  4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no night, and they need no lamp light; for the Lord God will illuminate them. They will reign forever and ever.

There simply has to be a better place than this world and heaven fills the bill.   I stood in awe when I saw this picture and realized (once again) how much I would love to be in heaven.  Just a thought from one friend to another.  My advice to all who read this is to read your Bible today and do everything and anything that God tells you to do to get there!!!  And, if possible, look at a sunset today- and marvel at the future!!!

Jesus’ Stern Warnings – By Ben Fronczek

Warnings That Jesus Leaves Us with as He concludes His Sermon On the Mt

Jesus’ Stern Warnings – By Ben Fronczek

Since the beginning of the year I have been sharing lessons from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. It is my favorite sermons in all the Bible because it is full wisdom as spoken by God the Son.

I would like to give a brief review of what we looked at in this sermon so far before I conclude this series of lessons today.  

First of all in  Matthew 5:1-12  …

●He began with the beatitudes, or attitudes we should adopt a disciples.

- Blessed those who are humble, or poor in spirit.

- Blessed are those who grieve or mourn especially over sinful behavior.

- Blessed are those who are gentle, or meek.

- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after God’s righteousness.

- Blessed are those who are merciful, pure, and those who are peacemakers.

- Even blessed are those who are persecuted for doing right, or standing up for Jesus.

●He tells us that such individuals are the salt of the earth, and they can have an effect on those around them. They are also the light of the world, and can open eyes and show others the way.  (5:13-16)

●In Verse 5:20, He told those people and I believe us as well, that unless their righteousness surpasses that of the show off, hypocritical Pharisees and teachers of the Law they would not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

●In  5:21-26, He said that we should not let our anger get out of control and that we are to be careful not to insult others. And in vs. 25, He said that we should make things right with those we offend us or have trouble with.

●In vss 27-30, He said not to do anything that may cause you to be thrown into hell; even if it means cutting off your hand or plucking out your eyes. No temptation is worth losing your life over and ending up in hell.

●In 33-37, He said to keep our oaths and promises that we make.

●And then in verses 38-43, He said that we should to be the kind of people that go the 2^nd mile, even if means helping our enemy, which includes praying for them.

●In chapter 6, Jesus goes on to say that we should be generous and give unto others but not to be like the show off and hypocrites in doing so. (1-4)

●In verses 5, and followings, Jesus also said that we should pray, and as we do so we should not pray like those show offs and hypocrites as well.

●Starting in verse 16, He also said that we should fast, but likewise not in a way that draws attention to our self.

●Starting in verse 19, He tells them not to be greedy and only store up treasure on earth where moths and rust destroy and thieves steal, but rather store up treasure that will last. Store up treasure in Heaven.

●In verses 25, to the end of chapter 6 Jesus tells us to stop worrying so much about stuff and what we think we need. But rather, we should seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness and God Himself will take care of the needs that we have.

●Then finally in Chapter 7:1-6, Jesus begins by telling us to be careful how we Judge others. We should also be careful and wise not to give away that which is precious to those who could care less about those things.

●In verse 7-11, He tells us to talk to God, and to ask, seek, and knock if you need something. He lets us know that God is even more caring and able to meet those needs than our earthly fathers.

●And then in the last lesson, in 7:12, Jesus lets us know that since God is so willing to bless us, that we also should do unto others what we would want them to do unto us; (which is otherwise known as the Golden Rule) in doing so we fulfill the law and the prophets.

Now that was a quick summary of the instructions that Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount. But then Jesus concludes with some warnings which we will briefly look at today.

Now look at how Jesus concludes His sermon here:

#1. He warns those who hear and read His words, that it is important to get on the right path. 

Read 7:13-14

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. “

Here Jesus lets us know that there are ultimately two paths one can take;  a wide well traveled one, which the majority takes and leads to destruction, and the narrow path, which few take and leads to life. He is warning us to make sure we are on the right path.

#2. Jesus lets us know why so many are on the wrong path which leads to destruction. He warns us that we should be careful who we listen to and follow.  

Read 7:15-20    

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

Now today we don’t have many people going around claiming to be prophets, but there are those who would like to convince you to do this or that, or even accept that which is evil as something acceptable and ok. (eg. Oh it’s ok to abort or kill unborn babies, it’s ok to sleep around. Or it’s ok to tell little white lies, smoke pot,  or a hundred and one other things people seem to indicate that are now acceptable)

If God Himself indicates something is wrong and sinful then it is wrong no matter what anyone says. Jesus lets us know how we will recognize these false prophets who will try to trip us up. He said that you will recognize them by the fruit they bear. So if you have someone who is trying to counsel you to do this or that and his life is a mess and you know what he is saying is contrary to God’s word, watch out and be careful.

#3.And then we have an eye opening statement that Jesus makes concerning who will be in Heaven…

 Read 7:21-23   

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

First of all notice what He said, “Not everyone.”

Now there are those who seriously believe that all, everyone is going to make it into heaven. The term that describes this philosophy is called Universalism. Those who accept this philosophy believe that all will eventually be reconciled to God, without exception. They believe that the penalty for sin is not everlasting, and they reject the teachings concerning everlasting damnation to hell, and, that all souls will ultimately be conformed to the image of divine perfection in Christ. This is taught by many of the Unitarian churches as well as some other groups.

But is that what Jesus said here? He said, 

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

First of all he said, “Not everyone” and then He says “but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

This is exactly what Jesus warned them about in His last statement when He said not to listen to false prophets or those who teach contrary to what God, Jesus, or the Bible teaches. You will be led down the wrong path. That’s why it is so very important to read, study and actually know for yourself what God said, in His word, and what He wants and expects from us.

He said,  

‘Only the ones who do the will of my father will enter the kingdom of heaven.’

It is reported that there are about 38,000 different Christian denominations world wide (http://christianity.about.com/od/denominations/p/christiantoday.htm).

I am sure many of them teach the same things, but why so many factions?     I believe it’s because there aren’t enough people in the pews who really know what God wants and expects. They haven’t for whatever reason read and studied God’s word for themselves enough to determine whether they are being duped by a divisive preacher, false prophet, or error plagued church leadership.

Do you remember the Bereans in Acts 17? In verses 11 & 12 it says,  

“¹¹ Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. ¹² As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.”

The Bereans didn’t trust anything but God’s word. They did not trust another man’s word nor human traditions. Likewise, we should be of the same character. We need to read God’s word for our self and then do what it says. That’s what Jesus is telling us to do here. And so when people come to us and ask, why do you do such and such at your church, we can give them the answer, “We do what we do because we can read it right here in the God’s word, the Bible.”

#4. Jesus closes His sermon by telling the people that they not only needed to listen to what He was saying, but to do what it said.

By doing so they could prevent themselves from getting swept away in a flood of misinformation.  

Read 7:24-29.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ²⁹ because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”

What about you? How well do you know God’s word?

The Bible is a book that can fill your life with great blessings. We live in a time of great learning, yet how many of us really know and understand what God almighty want and expects of us? Isn’t our eternal soul worth the investment of time and effort to learn for ourself what God wants?

Don’t let anyone lead you down that wide road and through that big wide gate that Jesus talked about in this lesson. Don’t live a life of ignorance. Don’t let someone convince you that you can’t understand the Bible, they are wrong. It has been perserved so that we read for ourself and know what his will is.

I challenge you, if you have not read the Bible, especially the New Testament to read it carefully and learn how God wants to bless you.

For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566

From Jim McGuiggan... Romans 3.31 and Establishing the Torah

Romans 3.31 and Establishing the Torah

Romans 3:31: “Do we nullify the Torah by faith? Not at all! We establish it.”

What leads him to ask and answer the question?

Paul will say that possessing the Torah is a two-edged sword that could cut Israel.
     

He will say God’s faithfulness in the Messiah is for all nations and not just Jews.

He will say God’s righteousness in the Messiah is independent of the Torah. He will say
 

The Torah itself had all along been saying that.

He will say that to view the Torah as exclusivist and not to view it through Jesus generated         

unhealthy  boasting and nationalism.

He will say the right way to view the Torah is from the perspective of faith in Jesus and that
would make it a “Torah of faith”—a Jesus-interpreted Torah.

He will say that viewing it in the way he offers it is to give it its true place
in the unfolding of God’s purpose.

Paul has told “the people of the Torah” (Israel) that having the Torah (and all that that entails) doesn’t matter if the Torah isn’t faithfully observed. It means nothing and guarantees nothing and in fact it is the Torah that the people of the Torah needed to fear in light of their unfaithfulness as a nation (2:8-9 with 3:9-19 as his development). By the time Paul is done in chapter 2 a Jew would want to know, “Where’s the advantage in being a Jew and having the oracles of God?”

Then in 3:21-26 he proclaims that God’s hoped-for faithfulness is revealed “now” and culminates in Jesus, independent of the Torah (3:21) and for the blessing of believing non-Jews as well as Jews. What’s more, he claims the Torah had all along borne witness to this development (3:21).

Then he claims that viewing the Torah in an exclusivist way (and not as part of God’s larger purpose that includes the entire human family) generates unhealthy boasting and undermines the truth of the Shema (3:27-30). He insists that the Torah must be viewed from the perspective of Jesus and if it is viewed that way it makes unhealthy boasting impossible. If the Torah is looked at as a Torah that finds its end in Jesus to bless the entire human family it is “a Torah of faith” (3:27—ignore the NIV, and note Romans 10:4).

A Jew might be forgiven if he thought, “He has undermined the Torah. I no longer recognize it as the Torah given to Israel by God through Moses.” Israel knew that God had elected them and no other nation and that one of the markers was his gift of the Torah (Nehemiah 9:5-14 and Romans 9:4 illustrate) It was by its very nature exclusivist. Now they’ve been told that the Torah was meant to benefit non-Jewish believers in Jesus completely independent of the Torah. Paul’s entire treatment of the Torah up to this point triggers the question and answer of 3:31.

James Dunn wryly noted that C.H. Dodd “again” thought he understood Paul’s logic better than Paul. Dodd said Paul should have had the courage to answer “yes” to his own question, “Do we nullify the Torah by faith?” But to an Israel always keen to establish its own righteousness (see Romans 9:30—10:3; again, ignore the NIV in 10:3 which speaks of a righteousness “that comes from” God when “that comes from” is nowhere in the Greek text)—to a nation always keen to establish its own righteousness (right relationship with God) Paul says the Torah was to find its termination in Jesus by finding its goal in Jesus (“telos” as both termination and goal—10:4).

Paul claims that his understanding of the Torah is the right way to see the Torah and give it its rightful place in God’s unfolding drama. The NJB on 3:31 offers, “Are we saying that the Law has been made pointless by faith? Out of the question; we are placing the Law on its true footing.”

So Paul has “explained” the Torah in such a way that it looks like the nation God gave it to might as well not have gotten it. So, what’s next? Abraham? Did having Abraham as their father mean nothing as well?

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... Guidelines For The Family And Business (Colossians 3:18-4:1)

                     "THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS"

            Guidelines For The Family And Business (3:18-4:1)

INTRODUCTION

1. The theme throughout the Book of Colossians is that Jesus Christ is 
   our "All-Sufficient And Pre-Eminent Savior" - cf. Col 1:16-18; 2:3,
   9-10

2. As a demonstration of Jesus as our "all-sufficient" Savior, we now 
   find His apostle Paul giving guidelines by which we can successfully
   conduct our family and business matters! - Col 3:18-4:1

3. This passage illustrates that the "pre-eminence" of Christ reaches 
   even to the secular concerns of our lives

[Beginning with verse 18, let's examine some of these guidelines Christ
has given us...]

I. WIVES, SUBMIT TO YOUR HUSBANDS (18)

   A. DEFINING THE WORD "SUBMIT"...
      1. The Greek word is hupotasso {hoop-ot-as'-so}
      2. It means to...
         a. arrange under, to subordinate
         b. subject, put in subjection
         c. subject one's self, obey
         d. submit to one's control
         e. yield to one's admonition or advice
         f. obey, be subject
      3. Thus, wives are to be in submission to their husbands, "as to 
         the Lord" (Ep 5:22)

   B. THIS IS SAID TO BE "FITTING IN THE LORD"...
      1. The word "fitting"...
         a. Grk., aneko {an-ay'-ko}
         b. To pertain to what is due, duty, as was fitting
      2. To be willing to submit to another is certainly in keeping with
         Jesus' own teaching and example - Mt 20:25-28
      3. It is also in keeping with what is expected of ALL Christians...
         a. We are to submit to one another - Ep 5:21
         b. We are to submit those who rule over us in the faith 
            - He 13:17
         c. We are to submit to the ordinances of government 
            - 1Pe 2:13-15
         d. Christian servants were to submit to their masters 
            - 1Pe 2:18
         e. Younger Christians are to submit to the elders, and to one
            another as well, even as we submit to God - 1Pe 5:5-7

   C. IF WIVES DO NOT SUBMIT TO THEIR HUSBANDS...
      1. They may never win their unbelieving husbands to Christ - cf. 
         1Pe 3:1-2
      2. God will not be gracious to them - cf. 1Pe 5:5
      3. There is even a possibility that it may have a strong bearing 
         on the sexual orientation of the children!
         a. A study by Dr. Irving Bieber was made of the family 
            background of 106 male homosexuals (cf. "What Everyone
            Should Know About Homosexuality", LaHaye, p. 71-72)
         b. Dr. Bieber found that:
            1) 81 mothers were dominating
            2) 62 of the mothers were overprotective
            3) 66 mothers made the homosexual their favorite child
            4) 82 of the fathers spent very little time with their sons
            5) 79 fathers maintained a detached attitude toward them
         c. The more "modern" man learns through tested research, the 
            more we begin to realize that Jesus and His Word were right
            all along!
            1) Whatever the subject, Christ certainly knows best
            2) And He should...remember, He's the Creator of all things!

[And now, for an often much needed word to the husbands...]

II. HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES (19)

   A. PAUL EXPANDS UPON THIS THEME IN HIS LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS...
      1. Our role model is Christ, and His love for the Church 
         - Ep 5:25-27
         a. Husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loved the 
            Church
         b. I.e., with a sacrificial love
      2. Another example is the kind of love we have for our own bodies 
         - Ep 5:28-29
         a. Just as one "nourishes" and "cherishes" his own body, so he 
            should his wife
            1) The word "nourish" comes from ektrepho {ek-tref'-o}, and 
               means...
               a) to nourish up to maturity, to nourish
               b) to nurture, bring up
            2) The word "cherish" is from thalpo {thal'-po}, meaning...
               a) to warm, keep warm
               b) to cherish with tender love, to foster with tender 
                  care
         b. Again, this is how Christ loves the Church!

   B. THIS LOVE INCLUDES BEING FREE FROM "BITTERNESS"...
      1. "and do not be bitter toward them" - Col 3:19
         a. The Greek word for "bitter" is pikraino {pik-rah'-ee-no}
         b. It means...
            1) to produce a bitter taste in the stomach
            2) to embitter; exasperate
            3) render angry, indignant
            4) to be embittered, irritated
            5) to visit with bitterness, to grieve (deal bitterly with)
      2. Peter gives us some insight as to why it is important not to be
         "bitter toward them" - cf. 1Pe 3:7
         a. They are the more delicate partner in the relationship ("a 
            weaker vessel")
            1) Capable of providing the motherly tenderness and 
               sensitivity crucial in the early development of children
            2) Bitterness will make the wife (mother) coarse and 
               resentful, contributing to the environment of a 
               "dysfunctional" family
         b. They are "heirs together of the grace of life"
            1) In Christ, they are not just wives, they are "sisters in 
               Christ"
            2) Therefore, worthy of love and honor, not bitterness!
         c. How we treat them determines the efficacy of our prayers 
            ("that your prayers may not be hindered")!

[When husbands love their wives as Christ loves the Church, and are not 
bitter toward them, it is much easier for wives to be submissive to 
their husbands.  Since husbands are to be the "leader" in the family, 
then let them show leadership by fulfilling their responsibility!  I 
dare say that the wives will then gladly follow, and the family (with 
our society) will benefit.

Speaking of the family, what about the children?]

III. CHILDREN, OBEY YOUR PARENTS (20)

   A.  THE VALUE OF SUCH OBEDIENCE...
      1. It is well-pleasing to the Lord (it is certainly what He did 
         - Lk 2:51-52)
      2. It contains an important promise - cf. Ep 6:1-3

   B. THE SERIOUSNESS OF REBELLIOUSNESS...
      1. Consider how God viewed lack of obedience in the Old 
         Testament...
         a. On par with witchcraft and idolatry! - 1Sa 15:22-23
         b. The punishment in some cases for rebellious children was 
            death! - Deut 21:18-21
      2. Therefore, rebelliousness is not to be taken lightly by 
         parents...
         a. It is not "just a stage they go through" (for some never 
            leave it)
         b. It is a serious problem that should concern us
         c. It is a problem that requires much prayer for the wisdom to 
            bring the child out of it!

[What can help the children to escape the sin of rebellion is if their 
fathers take to heart what is said to them...]

IV. FATHERS, DON'T PROVOKE YOUR CHILDREN (21)

   A. FATHERS HAVE AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY...
      1. They are to be understanding and compassionate, yet firm
         a. Joshua was strong in his resolve for his family to serve the
            Lord - Josh 24:14-15
         b. Eli, however, was condemned because of his failure to 
            restrain his sons - 1Sa 3:11-14
      2. They thus have the responsibility to provide spiritual training
         for their children - Ep 6:4
         a. They do it by THEIR EXAMPLE - the following quotes are taken
            from "The Father - God's Representative In The Family", 
            printed in Pulpit Helps
            1) "A child tends to look upon the Heavenly Father as he 
               does his earthly father.  If his earthly father is kind,
               loving, just, forgiving and good, a child will perceive
               of God as the same.  If, on the other hand, his earthly
               father is cruel, unloving, unkind, the child will 
               perceive the heavenly Father in the same manner."
            2) "Generally speaking, the concept which all people have of
               God is the concept each has of his father.  Such is
               extremely difficult to erase.  It is vitally important 
               for a man to live the kind of life, and be the kind of 
               person who is demonstrating to his sons and daughters 
               what God is really like - for the father is God's 
               representative here on earth.  This provides an 
               inestimable privilege, and also a solemn responsibility."
         b. They do it by THEIR INSTRUCTION (whether it be formal or 
            informal, cf. Deut 6:6-7)

   B. HOW CAN FATHERS BE GUILTY OF PROVOKING THEIR CHILDREN?
      1. By being unfair in their discipline
         a. Punishing without fair warning
         b. Showing favoritism in the exercise of discipline
      2. By being hypocritical in our teaching and example
         a. "Do as I say, not as I do" has no place in the vocabulary of
            Christian fathers
         b. Not only does hypocrisy provoke children to wrath, it often
            is the underlying reason why children leave the faith!

[As a father who is still involved in raising children, I know all this 
does not come easy.  But with the help of God we can apply these 
admonitions of the apostle of our Lord.

The remaining admonitions would have fallen under guidelines for the 
FAMILY in the First Century (A.D.), since most Christians would have 
either been slaves in another family or had some slaves in their own 
family.

Today, however, I believe that we can still apply these verses to our 
BUSINESS relationships...]

V. SERVANTS (EMPLOYEES), OBEY YOUR MASTERS (EMPLOYERS) (22-25)

   A. THE MANNER OF OBEDIENCE IS CLEARLY DEFINED (22-23)
      1. "in ALL things" (except that which would violate God's Will, of
         course - Ac 5:29)
      2. Not with "eye-service"
         a. Grk., ophthalmodouleia {of-thal-mod-oo-li'-ah}
         b. Service performed [only] under the master's eyes
            1) For the master's eye usually stimulates to greater 
               diligence
            2) His absence, on the other hand, renders a sluggish 
               response
      3. Not as "men-pleasers"
         a. Grk., anthropareskos {anth-ro-par'-es-kos}
         b. Studying to please man, courting the favor of men
      4. But in "sincerity of heart"
         a. "sincerity" (singleness, KJV) comes from haplotes 
            {hap-lot'-ace}
         b. As used here, it means:
            1) Singleness, simplicity, sincerity, mental honesty
            2) The virtue of one who is free from pretense and hypocrisy
            3) Not self seeking, openness of heart manifesting itself by
               generosity
      5. And "fearing God"
         a. The word "fear" is from phobeo {fob-eh'-o}
         b. In reference to God, it means "to reverence, venerate, to 
            treat with deference or reverential obedience"
         c. It is God whom we should be concerned is watching, not man!
      6. We are to do our work "heartily, as to the Lord and not to men"
         a. "heartily" is from psuche {psoo-khay'}
         b. Which here likely refers to "the seat of the feelings, 
            desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)"
         c. I.e., We are to "put our heart into our work"
         d. Just as we would if was the Lord we were working for, for in
            reality, that is actually who we are serving!

   B. THE LORD WILL JUDGE OUR SERVICE (24-25)
      1. It is the Lord Jesus Christ we serve, who has the ability to 
         provide our inheritance
      2. But the one who does wrong in his service to his master 
         (employer) will be repaid wrong!
      3. No partiality will be shown in rendering judgment for 
         wrong-doing!
         a. Being a slave is no excuse for slack service
         b. Nor is being a Christian!        
      4. Even if our masters (employers) are abusive, we are to do what 
         is right! - 1Pe 2:18-25

[And now, to those on the other end...]

VI. MASTERS (EMPLOYERS, SUPERVISORS), BE JUST AND FAIR (4:1)

   A. YOU DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO ABUSE THOSE UNDER YOU...
      1. You are to be "just"
         a. Grk., dikaios {dik'-ah-yos}
         b. As used here, it involves "rendering to each his due and 
            that in a judicial sense, passing just judgment on others,
            whether expressed in words or shown by the manner of dealing
            with them"
      2. You are to be "fair" (equal, KJV)
         a. Grk., isotes {ee-sot'-ace}
         b. It means to show "equity, fairness, what is equitable"
      3. In Ep 6:9, we see that masters are to...
         a. "do the same thing to them (slaves)" (i.e., with good will 
            doing service, as to the Lord)
         b. "giving up threatening"
      4. In other words, apply the "Golden Rule" - Mt 7:12

   B. YOU ALSO HAVE A MASTER!
      1. As a motive to be just and fair, a reminder that even masters
         have a Master in heaven
      2. Again in Ep 6:9, the point is made that there is no 
         partiality with your Master
         a. Being a master (employer) does not give you any special 
            privileges in His sight
         b. Nor being a Christian, if you are unfair and unjust to those
            under you!
      3. So if you want your Master to be just and fair with you, then 
         let Him be your ROLE MODEL for how you deal with those under 
         your responsibility!

CONCLUSION

1. In Col 2:3 it is said of Christ: "in whom are hidden all the 
   treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
   a. The wisdom and knowledge that comes from Christ reaches to the 
      relevant needs that we face today, no matter how secular or 
      mundane
   b. Clearly the passage we have examined illustrates this fact!

2. And so with Christ as our Lord, we are truly COMPLETE:  "and you are 
   complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." 
   - Col 2:10

3. Imagine how "complete" our families, our workplaces, would be if all 
   followed the "Guidelines For The Family And Business" as revealed by
   the apostle Paul
   a. Families living together in love and harmony!
   b. Workplaces filled with considerate, productive people!

4. We may not be able to change society totally
   a. But at least we can start with ourselves
   b. And provide a demonstration of the wisdom of Christ in our own 
     lives

Are you doing what you can to "prove (demonstrate) what is that good and
acceptable and perfect will of God"? - cf. Ro 12:2 

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011