11/14/13

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?

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

From Gary.... Simple lessons are sometimes the best

I do not remember when I learned it, but the "Golden rule" (Matthew 7 below) has influenced my life greatly. However, it is not an easy thing to do. I tend to think (sometimes expect) that others will think this way as well- these are the times I tend to be a bit naive and overly optimistic. Other people often are so diametrically opposed to the things of God as to make me cringe!!! Still, if I am to be Christian, I must emulate God's actions, and HE does good to all, even those who are frankly, well, horrible people. Why? Because it is the right thing to do - that's why!!! There will still be a judgment, and every soul who has not had their sin problem forgiven by the blood of Jesus, will have to answer for those sins. American politicians have lied, cheated and been dishonest for so long that I naturally equate politician with "CROOK" or "SWINDLER". Yet, we are to pray for them, and encourage them to do the "RIGHT THING". I would like to think that a few will change, but, again, that is just my over-optimistic mind kicking in. Both Democrats and Republicans are corrupted to the core and should ALL BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE. Still, we must continue to pray for them because it is good for us to do. I like what Jesus has to say in the "Sermon on the mount" and hope you will see how it relates to the picture....

Matthew, Chapter 5

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, don’t resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also. 41 Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Matthew, Chapter 7

12 Therefore whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

Just because our politicians are corrupt, does not mean that we have to be like them. Again, let me say- we should pray for them, encourage them and try to influence them to do "the right thing" as regards to the graphic. Why? Because we want to be like our heavenly father (vs. 48) and also we want to live by his word (vs. 12). Honestly, they probably will not listen, but if God wants them out- it will happen. Hope for the best, expect the worst, but, let both you and me be the best we can be. (excuse the rhyming, I guess that I just looked at the picture to long)

11/13/13

From Ben Fronczek... Treating Others the Way You Want to be Treated

Treating Others the Way You Want to be Treated

Treating Others the Way You Want to be Treated - Matthew 7:12

A young man brought up in the home of a Baptist preacher had a dream up going to college and becoming a lawyer. But after his dad passed away unexpectedly this young man put his dream aside to work as a stock clerk in a local store. When he was a child, his dad shared with him our verse for today: “Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.” He said, “Son, if you follow this Golden Rule, you’ll live a great life for the Lord, and God will take care of you.”

That sermon left a lasting impression on life. As time went on the owners of the store saw the young man’s enthusiasm and dedication and promoted him and eventually decided to make him a partner. Eventually the original owners decided to sell out their interest in the store and the young man purchased the store along with 2 others and over time developed a chain of stores across the country. He based his whole business philosophy on this verse. He treated his customers and his associates the way he would want to be treated, and God blessed the business.

Let me read to you a few of his quotes:

“The friendly smile, the word of greeting, are certainly something fleeting and seemingly insubstantial. You can’t take them with you. But they work for good beyond your power to measure their influence. It is the service we are not obliged to give that people value most.”

“In setting up a business under the name and meaning of the Golden Rule, I was publicly binding myself, in my business relations, to a principle which had been a real and intimate part of my family upbringing. Our idea was to make money and build business through serving the community with fair dealing and honest value.”

“Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement.”

“A merchant who approaches business with the idea of serving the public well has nothing to fear from the competition.”

And who was this man? I’ll let you know in at the end of the lesson.

The same verse which empowered the life of this man can empower the lives of believers today. I want to talk about what this verse means in its biblical context, and then I want to talk about what it means for our lives today.

In Matthew 7:7-11, we learned that God does good things for those who come to him in prayer; those who ask, seek, and knock.. And here in verse 12, Jesus is saying “Since God has been so good to us through the years, we need to extend that same goodness to the people in our lives. Therefore, in everything, do to others what you would have them do unto you.”

Notice that Jesus says IN EVERYTHING, do unto others.” This means that in every conceivable circumstance of life, we should treat people the way we would want to be treated.

I want to share three ways that the Golden Rule applies to our lives.

#1. It means that we should serve others the way we would want to be served. If you were the owner of your own company, how many of you would want your workers to be honest and work as hard as they could? How many of you would want them to maintain a positive attitude toward others, even when things get hectic?

If that’s the way you would want to be treated if you were the boss, then that’s the way you should treat your CURRENT boss! Living out the truth of this Bible verse revolutionizes the way you do your job! The way we do everything!

You just do not do the bare minimum so that you can collect a paycheck. Live the life the way Jesus wants you to live it! Serve others the way YOU would want to be served!

1 Corinthians 10:31 says

“Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God!”

Now this should apply whether you are at home, at church, on the street, in a grocery line, at work, where ever! ”In EVERYTHING do unto others…”

You say, “That’s not realistic! That’s not the way my boss or supervisor acts! That’s not even the way my spouse acts towards me. That’s not the way most PEOPLE act!” And you’re right! People are selfish by nature. People don’t want to practice the golden rule on other people because it’s a lot more fun when someone practice the golden rule on them! They like it when people say “Here, let me help you with that! What can I do to make you more comfortable?

But Jesus says in Mark 10:44 that ‘If you want to be great in the eyes of the Lord, then YOU need to be the one who serves! YOU need to be the one who is an instrument of God’s blessing! Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.’ Treating people the way you want to be treated fulfills the will of God.

#2. The Golden Rule also means that we should forgive others the way you would want to be forgiven. How many of you have ever said, “Oh, I wish she would give me another chance! I wish he would realize how sorry I am for what I said or what I did?! I wish they could just forgive me.”

If you’ve ever wanted to be forgiven, then you should have empathy for the people in YOUR life who need forgiveness.

Ephesians 4:32 says

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Billy Graham had a weekly newspaper column where he answers questions that people send him.

One person wrote and said, “My dad is dying, and he wants to see me one more time. But he abandoned me when I was a kid. Why should I go and see him now?”

And Dr. Graham said, “What your father did was very hurtful, and I can understand why you wouldn’t want to go. But put yourself in his shoes. If you messed up your relationship with your family, wouldn’t you pray for one more chance to make things right before you died? Wouldn’t you want one last opportunity to say “I’m sorry?” Wouldn’t you want one last chance to be a blessing?”

And then Billy Graham said, “This isn’t just about your dad’s need for forgiveness. This is about your willingness to extend forgiveness. When you give your heart to Jesus, God gives you the ability to forgive the hurts of the past. God gives you the ability to love people that you could never love on your own.”

Many times,it’s not something we can do in our own strength. But with the help of Almighty God, we can forgive others the way we would want to be forgiven.

#3. The Golden Rule also means that we should show love for others the way we would want to be loved.

You can apply this to your own family. When you get home from work wouldn’t be nice if your spouse greeted you with a smile and a hug and kind words. Wouldn’t it be nice if they made a nice meal for you and did a few of your chores around the house so that you could relax a bit. Wouldn’t be nice if your family not only praised you to your face but also treated you nice in public.

Well as you apply the Golden Rule, shouldn’t you be the one who is nice to your spouse, greeting them with a smile, kind words, and a hug. Shouldn’t we be the ones doing something nice for them to lighten their burdens?

So this verse not only revolutionizes the way we serve others. It revolutionizes the way we love and treat others. It challenges us to put the interests of others ahead of our own interests.

That’s what the Golden Rule is all about. And Jesus says if you live like this, you are fulfilling the will of God. You are living out the very essence of the Old Testament.

We see the same truth in other parts of the Bible. In Romans chapter 13:8-9, Paul is talking about our relationships with one another. Beginning in verse eight he says,

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

In other words, “treating others the way you want to be treated fulfills the will of God.” How many of you want to touch your family’s with the love of God? How many of you would like to change someone’s world with an act of random kindness? There’s no need to hit people over the head with the Bible. To the best of your ability, just take the essence of the Christian message as contained in the words of this Golden rule and live it out day after day, as long as you live, and watch what happens.

Micah 6:8 says

“What does the Lord require of you, but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Treating people the way you want to be treated fulfills the will of God.

#4. Another reason why we should practice the Golden Rule in the lives of others is because God practiced the Golden Rule towards us.

The Bible tells us, while we were still His enemies, Christ died on the cross for our sins. He paid the ultimate price. Then He rose from the dead to be our Lord and Savior to help us get to Heaven. And so the Golden Rule is all about loving and serving others with the same sacrificial love that God has for us. Ask Jesus to be your Savior and Lord. Then practice the Golden Rule in the lives of others, and watch what happens to them and to you. I began this sermon telling you of a man who based his whole business upon this Golden Rule and was blessed because of it. There are now more than 1100 stores all over the country named after this man. His name, James Cash Penny. We’ve all visited one of his stores at one time or another, JC Penny’s. This man went on to do great things because he took this Golden Rule seriously and applied it to his life as best as he could and God blessed him. What about you?

I challenge you to apply this Golden Rule in every part of your life.

Jesus said,

¹² “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

It is only one verse, one command of Jesus, yet if taken seriously and applied, I believe it has the power change each of us and the world we live in.

Based on a sermon by Dr. Marc Axelrod

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

From Jim McGuiggan... Romans 1: The Witness & His Story Chapter 1:1-17

Romans 1: The Witness & His Story

Chapter 1:1-17

Paul introduces his good news of God's righteousness (faithfulness) in 1:1-17, which is good news for the whole of humanity (1:5, 13b-17).

Note that the word "gospel" occurs six times in these opening verses. Paul certainly used texts to explain and present his message but he preached "the gospel" rather than a host of verses.

The centrality of "good news"

Why did Paul write the book of Romans? Scholars continue to debate that question and they come up with differing answers. Perhaps there is no one single reason for Romans. There certainly isn't one that stands out so plainly that scholars can agree on it. That's the trouble with and the beauty of rich literature. It carries our minds in so many directions that we find it hard to stay with one profound insight. This is especially true when the writer himself hasn't offered a single purpose for writing. And even if a writer has a single purpose in mind, if the material is very rich he or she will be saying more than they consciously mean to say. This is because truths exist in a network of truth rather than standing in isolation so one leads to another. In any case, it's always helpful and sometimes critically important to discover the overall reason for the book. Just the same, sometimes we can understand how some of the pieces work together even if we can't determine where it is going as a whole. Something like a jigsaw puzzle I suppose. We can piece together some of the sections and still not know what the whole is about. But if we can piece a significant number of pieces together we can get a sense of the kind of scene we’ll find in the end. We may adjust our educated “guess” but we’ll not be simply groping in sheer ignorance.

Paul introduces his good news of God's righteousness (faithfulness) in 1:1-17, which is good news for the whole of humanity (1:5, 13b-17).

Note that the word "gospel" occurs six times in these opening verses that act as an introduction to the entire letter. Since he uses that "good news" word so often it should affect how we view the book as a whole. However somber some of the parts of Romans are we need to remember that Paul sees himself as a preacher and teacher of "the gospel of God" (1:1) and it's that good news he wants to bring to the Romans.

The truth and authority of the "good news"

An inscription discovered in Prienne in northern Turkey is dated 9 B.C. and it gives us an insight into what the word "gospel" means. Here's a piece of what it says.

"Whereas the Providence which has ordered the whole of our life, showing concern and zeal, has ordained the most perfect consummation for human life by giving to it Augustus, by filling him with virtue for doing the work of a benefactor among men, and by sending in him, as it were, a saviour for us and those who come after us, to make war to cease, to create order everywhereand whereas the birthday of the God [Augustus] was the beginning for the world of the glad tidings that have come to men through him. Paulus Fabius Maximus, the proconsul of the province has devised a way of honoring Augustus."

From this it's clear that the "gospel" is glad tidings. It's also clear that the gospel is an announcement, a proclamation rather than just an invitation to share the joy inherent in the good news. This inscription isn't saying that Augustus is lord if only the people would let him into their hearts. It claims that the power that governs the universe had established Augustus as lord of the world and he is its instrument to bring peace and security to that world.

Individualism is such a part of our culture and religious decision is so stressed that we forget this aspect of the gospel. When Paul preached Jesus as King he wasn't inviting people to faith in a new religion, he was proclaiming a change in the entire creation because a new King had risen! Nothing is now to be seen in the same way. So he warns them as he approaches the gates of Rome, the world's center of Caesar power, that he is coming with a gospel that is God's power to save anyone who believes it!

Even the Roman historian Tacitus, in a bitter moment, admitted that Rome by force of arms created a desert and called it peace; but Paul insists that he was not on a destroying mission he was coming with a gospel of salvation and life. It is this gospel he wants to lay before the Romans and see it bear fruit among them.

Some characteristics of the good news

He says it is the "gospel of God" (1:1). This phrase may mean it is a gospel that comes from God, a gospel that God himself makes known. It may also mean it is a gospel "about" God. There is no need to choose between these two because Paul might have had both in mind. Both are certainly true and it is important in the book of Romans to see that both are true.

The gospel isn't about less important things like the weather, or the economy of the Greco-Roman world or how to get along with our neighbors. The gospel is about God himself and how he relates to his sinful creation. And the gospel comes from God himself.

It isn't good advice or a philosophy that Paul or others have dreamed up--it comes from God. All this means that the Romans (and we) should pay close attention to his message.

He says the gospel concerns God's Son (1:1-4,9) who is Jesus the Messiah (Christ). Paul insisted that God had made himself and his purposes known in Jesus Christ in a way that never happened before.

When we think of the Son of God Paul insists that he had come to the world as a son of David's line but that he was also marked out as God's unique Son by his resurrection out from among the dead. The phrase "according to the spirit of holiness" seems to suggest that there was more to Jesus than his "fleshly" (human) nature. Viewed from his "fleshly" side he is David's son and viewed from his "spiritual" side he is God's Son. Many scholars think we should understand that Christ was David's son according to the flesh but that he was shown to be God's Son by the Holy Spirit ("the spirit of holiness").

That is, they think, and they may be correct, that here Paul isn’t speaking about the deity of Jesus but is particularly interested in his resurrection and glorification via the Holy Spirit.

He says the gospel is God's power to save (1:16). We're tempted to think of God's "power" as merely "divine muscle" but it's a mistake to think of it like that in this context. Even when speaking about human power we know the difference between the power to move a huge stone and the power to "move" a person. A person "saved" in Paul's sense means God brought that person back into relationship with himself and so saved him/her from sin and loss. This kind of "saving" isn't done with "divine muscle". Since God saves us in and by the cross of Christ it's clear that he doesn't bully us into life and doesn't save us by force. To be saved by God's "power" means God set himself the task and was able to complete. The gospel, or good news, is the message that a faithful God did that very thing and that he did it through the crucified Jesus Christ. There are some places naked power or force can't enter and one of them is the human heart.

He says the gospel is God's power to save all who believe because in the gospel God's righteousness (faithfulness) continues to be revealed (1:16-17). God's righteousness is God's faithfulness. He keeps his commitments and when he created humanity he made a commitment to humanity. Despite our rebellion against him he didn't utterly destroy us he was faithful to his word and that's part of what we mean when we say God is "righteous". His faithfulness is to all people and not only those who are Jews. The gospel message that proclaims God's faithfulness draws people to God in response to that faithfulness and they put their trust in him. So the gospel is "from" faith (God's faithfulness) "unto" faith (the faith of those who hear). The relationship between the righteous God and those who are declared righteous by faith is a dynamic one if salvation is to be experienced. It isn't just God keeping faith with man; it is man trusting himself to that God who keeps faith.

He says the gospel of God's righteousness in Jesus Christ was promised in the Old Testament scriptures (1:2). Paul will make the point repeatedly that the Old Testament scriptures (including the covenant Torah itself) pointed to the gospel he was preaching about Jesus Christ, God's Son (see also 3:21 with Acts 26:22-23).

So, in some senses Paul's message might be surprising but the truth is, Israel had been given fair warning of how the good news would be worked out in Jesus the Messiah (see Luke 24:25-27,44-47). Many in Israel, eager to establish their own national connection with God missed what the Old Testament taught about God's righteousness toward and for the whole human race (see Romans 9:30 -10:4 in light of 1:16).

In addition, the OT scriptures spoke of these glorious coming things as promises to Israel. Paul stresses again and again that the good news had special significance for Israel and then through them to Gentiles. But it’s “to the Jew first” [Romans 1:16 and elsewhere].