Alexander McLean received his Masters of Laws from the University of London. However, instead of practicing law, McLean pursues teaching the law to those most in need. McLean visited overcrowded prisons where many prisoners had no legal counsel, others did not understand the legal process, and many were imprisoned as pre-trial detainees. Seeing those conditions, McLean felt compelled to do something about it. He created an organization whose mission is to be “Defenders of the Defenceless.” This organization, Justice Defenders, works in African jails and prisons teaching inmates about the law.

Since the founding of Justice Defenders, they have provided free legal counsel and training for many within the prison system. They have helped train both prisoners, as well as guards and staff within the prisons. In any justice system, there is always some inequity. As a result, Justice Defenders have righted wrongful convictions and helped secure the release of prisoners who had served sentences appropriate to the crime but did not understand their sentencing.

All of that seems like a great story: someone who is trying to help champion the cause of justice among those who are disadvantaged. However, what really struck me was when the interviewer was asked if they provide education and advice to those in prison who were rightly convicted. McLean responded:

“Yes. Because we believe that there’s more to someone — that’s killed than being a murderer or more to someone that’s — who’s stolen than being a thief. I don’t think any of us has to be defined by the worst thing that we’ve done.” 

As with many sermons that I’ve needed, my toes were very sore after considering this statement and I felt a little sick to my stomach thinking about how I may have treated others in the past. If any of us feel comfortable with the thought of God or others defining our lives by the worst thing we’ve done then we probably need to take a closer look at our lives. Too often we let words spoken in anger or actions taken without care define how we see those around us. Jesus recognized this all too human quality and provided a stern warning concerning it:

Matthew 6:14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Relationships are messy whether they are with our physical family, spiritual family, or friends. It is a tragedy when we let isolated events destroy the foundation of relationships we have built with others. Realistically people will disappoint, hurt, and anger us at times, but most are so much more than the worst thing they have ever done. Although we can never do it perfectly, let us try to extend the same mercy to others that we would want our Lord to show us.

Thom Vaught

Listen! That’s how Jesus starts His lesson in Mark 4:3. He has just stepped out onto a boat so that He could speak to the large crowd that had gathered to hear Him. This was a very special sermon. Jesus is going to give the secret to all of His parables by telling a unique parable about the farmer who goes out to sow on the various kinds of ground. When Jesus said “Listen!” He was talking to a specific kind of person.

He wasn’t interested in the one who would hear His words and then fall away later when called to stand up for their faith. He wasn’t looking for the one who would hear His words and then foolishly decide that this world had more to offer.

Jesus said “listen!” because He knew that some would hear His words and those words would change their lives. They would live out His teachings. They would become those lamps He would later discuss later in the chapter. Those who truly listened to this specific sermon and took it to heart would bear fruit. It’s humbling to think that some only believe they’ve listened to Jesus, but on the last day will find out that they only thought they listened (verse 25).

Are we listening to the Savior? One way Jesus tells us we can know if we and others are listening is by looking at the fruit being planted. This section of scripture is a great reminder that there are many who will not hear the Lord and His life-changing and life-saving message, but there are also those out there in our communities who are willing and waiting for us to share Him with them.

Dale Pollard

In the “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus spoke about the two things that make life on earth worthwhile: salt and light. These two things are usually taken for granted, but we could not live without them.

Salt is necessary for life. Consider the beating heart. The heart beats because of a chemical exchange of sodium (salt) and potassium (another salt). Were it not for these salts, we die. When the two are out of balance, the heart doesn’t function well. Having too much salt means the body retains water and that can result in problems. Having too little potassium can also cause problems and can send a person to the hospital.

We need light, too. Without sunlight, crops do not grow. A failure of sunlight would mean the ultimate death of every living thing on earth. God created the world with a source of light because he wanted to create living beings on the earth that would require sunlight. We even consider light as necessary at night, so we have street lights to provide illumination and safety for people at night.

Russians don’t have lights. At night, everything is dreadfully dark. There were times when I walked the streets of Sosnofka or Vyatsky Polyany at night and felt uneasy because there was no light at all.

The world needs salt and light in another way, too. It needs the influence of both for salvation. People need the light of God’s word so they may obey it and live as saved souls. They need salt so they might be the kind of good influence on others that will point the way to salvation.

When Christians don’t provide the salt and light of good influence on the people around them, their friends may find themselves shut out of eternity. On Judgment Day, it would be terrible for our friends and neighbors to point at us and say, “You never told me about Jesus,” or “You never told me what I should do to save my soul.”

Christians need to be the kind of influence on others that can provide the salt and light others need to live eternally. We can provide those two life-saving properties of salt and light if we provide the influence of God in our lives.

When people talk about how many things are wrong in the world, we should give them the two things that are right: Jesus and his word. We should give them the salt and the light!

John Henson

“And again he entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that he was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And he preached the word to them. Then they came to him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying” (Mark 2:1-4 NKJV).

Some years ago while visiting churches in the mountains of Nepal I fell from the steps leading into the house in which I was spending several days. The floor level was two or three feet above the ground and the steps were makeshift at best – a few rocks stacked loosely on each other without mortar and without much level matching surface. My fall was not serious and I was uninjured, but as I sat on the ground catching my breath I saw one of the Church’s leaders taking apart the steps and beginning to level and relay them to be more secure. I thought at the time, “This is not his house (he was not actually even a resident of that village); what is he doing working on someone else’s house?”

Over the years that same reaction has occurred repeatedly when reading the story of the paralyzed man and his four loyal friends. What audacity, to take off the roof of another person’s house. This is not only my reaction, but one I have heard from others.

As I consider that response, three ideas surface which may, in part at least, modify my attitude.

First, American culture is much different from that of the East, both in ancient and modern times. Our emphasis on private ownership of property and the rights of the property owner is not shared in much of the world. A neighbor “fixing” another’s bad steps without first seeking approval is not a violation of rights – it is simply a helping hand that is much appreciated. Villages in the less developed world are much more of extended families than are our cities or even small towns.

Second, even in our culture, are not people worth more than stone and mortar, or sticks, dirt, palm fronds, and slate “tiles” (typical roofing materials in Asia)? A hole in the roof could easily be repaired (and no doubt was), but opportunities to present their lame friend to the miracle working Jesus might not come again. They put what was to them the most important thing first. Even so, Jesus pointed out something even more important – one’s spiritual condition (Mark 2:5).

We often struggle to keep our priorities straight. Even as we pay off a mortgage to secure the house of our dreams, let us remember to “Seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).

Finally, I am reminded that even if I have paid off that mortgage and labored hard to acquire my house, it is really not mine at all. All I have is a gift from God; I am simply a steward, looking after my master’s property (1 Corinthians 4:1). We appreciate Jesus’ promise to prepare a place for us in his Father’s house (John 14:1-6), that is, in heaven after this life on earth is completed. But we are already, in more than one sense, living in the Father’s house. One house on earth that belongs to God is the Church which Jesus built (1 Timothy 3:15). But every physical house and every mountain, lake, stream, forest and ocean belong to God as well as all that is in them (Psalm 50:12).

Bible scholars often ask, whose house was it in which Jesus taught and performed this miracle? Was it Simon’s (Mark 1:29)? Did Jesus himself own it? Or was it perhaps the property of one of the women disciples who helped provide for his ministry (Luke 8:1-3)? Mark and the other Gospel writers show no interest in this question.

Jesus ministered within the environment of his Father’s world, as do we. All we have, and all we see, are his. The more we are aware of this fact, the better servants we will be.

Michael Brooks

It was a sunny Saturday morning, and Joe was beginning his pre-shot routine, visualizing his upcoming shot when a voice came over the clubhouse loudspeaker – “Would the gentleman on the woman’s tee please back up to the men’s tee, please!”

Joe was still deep in his routine, seemingly impervious to the interruption. Again the announcement – “Would the man on the women’s tee kindly back up the men’s tee!”

Joe had had enough. He shouted, “Would the announcer in the clubhouse kindly shut up and let me play my second shot!”

I am very familiar with not being as far down the golf course as I am expected to be after my first shot!  🙂  And sometimes, I’m not as far along spiritually as others think I should be.  There are some others who are not as far along spiritually as I think they should be.

What is to be our attitude toward these “weak” brethren?  Sometimes the situation calls for some words of gentle rebuke (Heb. 5:12-14). Sometimes the situation calls for patient forbearance (Rom. 14:1).  In all things, our goal is to encourage and build up.

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.  Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” (Rom. 15:1-2).

May be truly encourage one another as we live our Christian lives, with those who are strong helping those who are weak.  We need all the help we can get!

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

Shortly after my dad passed away in 2013, I was visiting with my mom, and I was taken by surprise when I looked at her hands. Somehow, my mother and her hands had aged when I wasn’t watching. I asked her if I could take a picture of her hands so that I could write an article, and she consented.

I am just now getting to that article and I want to tell you a little about the hands you see in this picture. They are much more than the hands of an older woman. These hands belonged to a follower of Jesus who used them in his service all her life.

• These hands are the hands that lovingly held and comforted my two sisters and me while we were babies.
• These hands disciplined us when we needed guidance.
• These hands reached down and steadied us when we were uncertain of our own steps.
• These hands let us go when we eventually pulled away from her help.
• These hands lifted us onto her lap and turned pages as she read Bible stories to us.
• These hands would guide my eyes to help me follow the songbook in church.
• These hands sewed dresses for my sisters and dolls for children in the hospital.
• These hands washed countless glasses when the entire neighborhood would use our house and backyard as a hang out to play football, basketball, and baseball.
• These hands prepared countless meals for our family and for those who needed help. Mom was known as a great cook, and we rarely ate out. In fact, we preferred it that way.
• These hands held my dad’s hands as she supported him in his work as a gospel preacher for more than sixty years.

But somehow these hands had aged without my notice. The skin on her hands had become thinner and looser, and veins became pronounced that once weren’t. But they were still the same hands that had spent a lifetime of service to God and man. These hands are the hands that my sister and I held as mom drew her last breath, and I find great peace in knowing that as we let go, my mom took the “hand of angels” as they escorted her to paradise.

This picture of mom’s hands wouldn’t get her a job as a “hand model,” but don’t let that fool you. Those hands are beautiful!

by Steve Higginbotham

We do not have to guess or wonder what the purpose for I John is. The beloved apostle comes right out and tells us, and continues to tell us throughout the letter. I John 1:4 says, “These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.” The word translated “complete” means “to make full” (BDAG, page 828). He is writing so we can be completely full of JOY! The fact that the Lord wants us to be happy seems to be news for some brethren. So, what do we have to be JOYFUL about?

     First, we have Forgiveness of Sins (1:5-10). The blood of Christ washing away our sins (cf. Acts 2:38; 22:16; I Peter 3:21).is not a one-time deal. We must repent and ask, and we must walk in the light (I John 1:9,7). Yet, what a joyful promise. We have access to the blood of Christ!

     Second, we have an Advocate and an Appeaser – 2:1-2. Jesus pleads our case and defends us before the Judge. This advocate is One who knows what it means to face temptation (Heb. 4:15). We also have an appeaser – a propitiation. Our lawyer will not only defend us, He will also pay the fines and take the punishment! What a joyful thought! We have an Advocate and an Appeaser!

     Third, we have a Mission – 2:12-17. God sent Jesus, whose mission was to seek and save the lost. Jesus sent the apostles whose mission was to teach the truth to the lost. The apostles teachings sends us on a mission to seek the lost. In a world full of depression, mental problems, addictions, and so on, people are looking for purpose in life. Many are looking for something that makes their life of value. What JOY! We have it! Our mission is to teach the lost!

Fourth, we have God’s Love – 3:1-2. God loves me! I do not deserve it, but He does. Furthermore, He showed that love through the Son. He is my Father! Imagine that; He wants me in His family. It is just like the parable of the Loving Father (a.k.a., the parable of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32). When we come to Him with the attitude, “I will be your servant,” He will welcome us back as His child. We have a relationship!

     Fifth, we have God’s Ear – 3:22. Because He is my Father, because we have a relationship, this means He Hears ME! What JOY! The Creator of the universe wants to hear ME. He is concerned about ME!

     Sixth, we have Assurance – 5:13. We can know we are in a relationship with the Lord (John 17:1-3). We can have assurance! We must believe (5:13; 5:1). We must decide to follow what He says (5:2-3). We must be born again (5:4). It is only because of Jesus and what He has done for us that we can be saved.

We can have JOY! What joy there is in knowing Him means I know I am the Father’s child and will meet Him one day! However, the only way I can have true joy is to have Jesus!

Corey Sawyers

What happens when the regular evening Bible study is replaced by a special prayer meeting?  Years ago I remember one particular person saying that she would not be attending because it was just a prayer meeting.

From what he wrote to Timothy, it seems Paul would not have regarded God’s people gathering for the express purpose of praying as “just a prayer meeting.” Consider his instructions for Timothy.

Paul knew that the church in Ephesus was dealing with some problems. Although he intended to travel there, he wanted Timothy who had boots on the ground in Ephesus to handle things until he arrived. And so, Paul wrote a little handbook on congregational worship and functioning to guide and support Timothy.

What is particularly interesting is that as Paul thought about guiding Timothy in working with the Ephesian church, the very first idea he wanted to impress upon Timothy was prayer.

First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people …. Such prayer for all is good and welcomed before God our Savior, …. So I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute.” (1 Timothy 2:1,3,8).

Since “in every place” is a short-hand form for “in every meeting place” (1 Cor. 1:2), Paul had guided Timothy into ensuring that prayers would be offered up in all of the house church assemblies. Prayer is fundamental.

Paul would eventually get around to addressing church leadership roles and serving roles. However, the first item in that little handbook comprising chapters two and three is prayer. Paul knew the importance of brothers and sisters joined together in lifting up every type of prayer to God.

Would Paul ever say, “Oh, that is just a prayer meeting”? I don’t think so. What is our attitude toward congregational prayer?

Barry Newton

    Teenagers have been faithful and serving God at least since Joseph in Genesis 37. Joseph was 17 years old when he was sold into slavery by his brothers. But he maintained a strong faith in Jehovah God, even when he was in a foreign country, surrounded by foreign idols. 

    Young people need the help, guidance, and encouragement that adults can provide. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul tells us that God comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort others. Based on that same reasoning, we as adults have been teenagers before. We have experienced what they are experiencing. There is nothing new under the sun. So, we need to use our background, our experiences, to teach and to train our teenagers. If I have an opportunity to have an adult Christian who has dealt with drug addiction to talk to our teenagers, I’m going to have him do just that. If I have an opportunity to have an adult Christian talk to our teenagers about a pornography addiction, I’m going to do just that.

    Why? Because #1, it shows our teenagers that our adults are authentic. They are not super-spiritual, super-Christians. Adults struggle and have struggled with the same things teenagers struggle with today. #2 – It shows our teenagers know that they can be open and authentic without being judged. #3 – It lets our teenagers know there are certain people in the congregation who have struggled with certain weaknesses so that they know who they can go to and say, “You spoke to the teenagers about such-and-such. I’m having the same problem. Can you help me?”

    We want our young people to know we care about them and we are ready to burn the midnight oil if we have to, to help them develop their own, strong, faith in Jesus Christ. We want our teenagers to know they can do that and there is no obstacle that can’t be overcome if they have the right support network and we, as a church family, are their support network. So, if you have had some struggle with some specific temptation in your life, come talk to me or go talk to Jared and let’s see if we can help you, help our teenagers.

    Youth need the church. Why the church? First, because the church is the pillar and support of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). No other organization teaches the truth like the church of Jesus Christ does. That’s why youth need the church. Secondly, youth need the church because they need a social network. They need someone with whom to laugh, love, live, and cry. The church provides the social network within which that takes place in a spiritual atmosphere that is conducive to growing up in Jesus Christ.

    Let us focus on bringing youth to view the world with purpose and meaning as disciples of Jesus Christ. 

Paul Holland

For many, anything over 30 miles is considered a long commute. For Virginia family man, Thurmond Alford, 30 miles is a breeze in contrast to his 220 mile commute. When offered his dream job in Washington D.C., Thurmond was elated with the news but dreaded one fact of reality. All of his family members live nearly 107 miles away in Richmond VA and he wasn’t ready to leave them. Upon accepting the job, his daily routine was about to change drastically. Starting at 4a.m., Alford drives to a parking lot near Fredericksburg, VA. From there, he carpools to a train station near Arlington. He then boards two separate trains in order to arrive in downtown Washington D.C. at 7:30a.m. He embarks on this tumultuous commute Monday thru Thursday.

To some, this commute is absolutely nonsensical. Consider the amount of times he spends in the car on a daily basis. What about how often he needs his oil changed, tires replaced, or the exhaustive implications from such a commute. Yet, in Alford’s own words, “the family is worth it.” He wasn’t willing to compromise his family for the opportunity of a life time. At the end of the day, it’s the loved ones he goes home to that make the journey worth it.

Our journey home can be a long one, but it is one that is worth it. The Hebrew writer reflects back on those who were wandering in the wilderness, in Hebrews 11 –

For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 

 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. 

I don’t know what all is involved in your commute of life. It could be worse than mine and it might even be better than mine. It could be shorter or longer. However, one fact remains; the family who is home will be worth it. To be in the presence of the Father, His Son, and His Spirit eternally is a blessing too large to comprehend. Yet, we’ll also have the rest of our Family there as well. When going through the dread of life, remember, “the family is worth it.”

Tyler King

To accompany a recent sermon on sexual immorality, I wrote the following summary points on sex and marriage, focusing especially on the former. They have been translated from Portuguese.

These are basically bullet points designed for people who are coming to know God’s will. They’re designed to be starting points for further study.

1. God created one man and one woman to be united in one flesh, Genesis 2.24. This is the original divine plan. Any other type of union displeases him.
2. Sex within marriage is blessed by God, Genesis 1.28; 2.24. So much so that a whole Bible book is dedicated to it: Song of Solomon.
3. There is no Biblical evidence that the first sin was a sexual act. The idea arose from influence of Greek philosophy. Rather, it was eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Genesis 3.1-24.
4. In marriage, the bodies of the husband and wife belong to each other. There ought to be complete liberty between the two, 1 Corinthians 7.1-5; Genesis 2.25.
5. Intimate relations with people of the same sex (men with men or women with women) are prohibited and considered repugnant to God, Romans 1.24-33; 1 Corinthians 6.9-11; Jude 7.
6. Sex with animals is prohibited, Exodus 22.19; Leviticus 18.23; 20.15; Deuteronomy 27.21. Jesus reaffirmed God’s original plan for marriage and sex as being between one man and one woman for life, Matthew 19.4-6.
7. Sex with members of one’s family is prohibited, 1 Corinthians 5.1-13. The man who had possessed his father’s wife was to be expelled from the church.
8. Forced sex is prohibited, such as rape, Deuteronomy 22.25. This also includes sex with children, who have no way of resisting the advances of an adult. Sexual aggression does not respect the free will of the other person.
9. Sex was created to be practiced within marriage and not before or outside of it. See Proverbs 27.8. God specified where sex is to be practiced. Outside of this, it is sin. The very definition of the words makes this restriction clear.
10. Adultery (Greek: moicheia) is the act of conjugal infidelity; fornication, or sexual immorality (Greek: porneia) is sex outside of marriage, in general, whether or not the person is married.
11. God’s law was made for “sexually immoral people, practicing homosexuals,” among others, 1 Timothy 1.8-11, for it prohibits those acts against the nature and the will of God.
12. Not only the act of adultery is prohibited, but Jesus also prohibits the desire to commit adultery, Matthew 5.27-30.
13. Whoever abandons the commitment of marriage cannot enter into another marriage. So such a person ought to abstain from sexual acts.
14. Christians ought to marry Christians. There is no yoke more unequal than a Christian married to a non-Christian, 2 Corinthians 6.14—7.1.
15. If someone marries again, having the right to marry, it ought to be with another Christian, 1 Corinthians 7.39.
16. A person can live without engaging in sex and please God by abstaining, Matthew 19.12.
17. A person who cannot live without engaging in sex ought to marry, if he has the right to do so, 1 Corinthians 7.8-9.
18. The person who marries and then has sexual relations with someone else lives in adultery, Matthew 5.32; 19.9.
19. A person ought to guard the marital commitment, but the one who refuses to do so must either remain alone or be reconciled to the original mate, 1 Corinthians 7.10-11.
20. Sexual immorality results in eternal condemnation, even if it is a Christian who engages in it, Galatians 5.19-21; Revelation 21.8.
21. Sensuality is not worthy of Christians, for it feeds the desire for sex outside of God’s standards, 1 Peter 4.3.
22. Sexual immorality on the part of one’s mate is the only reason given in the New Testament that allows someone the right to divorce and marry again, Matthew 5.32; 19.9.
23. Repentance means that people, including Christians, cease practicing sexual immorality, 2 Corinthians 12.21; Revelation 2.21; 9.21.
24. There is only one way to avoid temptation to sexual immorality: flee, 1 Corinthians 6.18.
25. Some practices that God permitted under the old Mosaic covenant, such as polygamy (having more than one spouse) and divorce, are not allowed to be practiced by his people, the church, under the covenant of Christ, Matthew 19.8-9; Acts 17.30; Ephesians 5.31; 1 Timothy 3.2, 12.
26. Sanctification is possible only when a person abstains from sexual immorality, 1 Thessalonians 4.3. This is important because “without it no one will see the Lord” Hebrews 12.14.

J. Randal Matheny

THE RISE OF PAGANISM IN AMERICA

“Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man – and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:21-23 NKJV).

Travelers to Kathmandu typically visit the expansive Hindu and Buddhist enclaves where they view hundreds, if not thousands, of images, temples, stupas and other shrines and icons of those polytheistic religions. Many westerners accustomed to faith in one God wonder why anyone would be attracted to an immense pantheon of lesser deities. Surely monotheism is a superior and more desirable faith, since it honors one Almighty, All-wise, Ever-present Being.

Paul suggests in Romans 1 that idolatry and polytheism got its beginning from humanity’s unwillingness to submit to such a transcendent and inescapable deity. In the words of David,

“Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:6-7).

David was crushed beneath the power and knowledge of the supreme being until he was able to submit in trust and obedience (Psalm 139:13-24).

As far as any appeal of polytheism, I would suggest two obvious attractions.

First is the human desire to see and touch that which he values. Idols present gods as approachable and “real.” Their followers do not have to trust in what some would call “blind faith” (2 Corinthians 5:7). The passage in Romans suggests a further extension of this appeal, that humans desire equality if not superiority to their gods. If we make them with our own hands, can we not control them?

This is somewhat related to the second motivation: the appeal of choice. In a pantheon of gods, one can choose (or have chosen for him) a particular deity to represent himself, his family, or his region or group. Each home may have its particular shrine or idol which the family worships and to which it sacrifices. The reader of the Bible will remember the pride of the Ephesians in the goddess Diana and her temple which was in their city. Theologically the city belonged to the goddess; practically the goddess belonged to the city and its citizens.

In a pantheon each particular god or goddess is believed to have a special set of powers and responsibilities. There are gods of creation, and those of destruction. Some rule over fertility, others over death. To choose a god / goddess is also to choose a particular realm of activity which the worshipper values. So there were (and are) gods of wine and revelry, gods of the sea, and gods for every area and activity. The farmer or shepherd typically sacrifices to the goddess of fertility, hoping for abundant crops, while the sailor honors the god of the sea, praying for safety in his journeys. One’s choice of a particular god often reflects his world view – that is the things or places that are particularly meaningful to him.

One obvious weakness to such a system (besides the patent contradictions of exalting inanimate idols to such status – See Isaiah 44:9-17) is that no one can know or worship the vast number of gods demanded by such religions. The farmer has other interests and needs than those pertaining to his crops. The sailor does not spend all of his time on the ocean. If I am dependent upon many gods to ensure my well-being, how can I be sure that I have properly appeased all of them?

The Greeks of Athens responded to this impossibility by building an altar to “the unknown god,” lest they offend a being whose existence and nature they knew nothing of (Acts 17:23). That is akin to the reported deathbed prayer of a noted atheist: “O God, if there is a God, save my soul, if I have a soul.” Neither is exactly a devout statement of faith.

The Christian response is to assert boldly that there is One God, the Creator of all things, who is Almighty, All Wise, All Present, and Eternal (1 Timothy 1:17). God, being Spirit, is invisible and unapproachable to humans in any physical sense. But also being Love (1 John 4:8), he has revealed himself through his son Jesus (Colossians 1:15) by whom he has redeemed us from sin and death. There is only one God. One is enough.

J. Randal Matheny

The Pharisees asked Jesus questions sometimes trying to catch him in one of their traps. They attempted this in Matthew chapter 22 with a question about taxes. The Herodians were with them for their purposes.

If Jesus said he was in favor of taxes, then the Pharisees could accuse him before the people for being pro-Roman. If Jesus opposed taxes, then the Herodians would report his disloyalty to Herod Antipas, who was Rome’s authority.

But after Jesus answered their question, he gave them one of his own. It was not designed to catch them in disloyalty to Rome nor was it designed as a trap. Jesus was trying to teach them something.

The Lord asked the Pharisees who the Messiah is and whose son he is. It seems as though the Pharisees didn’t need time to consider their answer. They replied, “The son of David” (Matthew 22:21).

Ah, but the instruction was in the next question Jesus asked about Psalm 110:1, written by King David. “If David calls him Lord, then how is he his son?” Jesus said. The question revolves around the word, “Lord,” or in the Psalm. The first use of the word is the “family” name of God, Yahweh, the name the Hebrews would not pronounce out of respect for God.

What was the second “Lord?” W. Terry Varner wrote, “Psalms 110 shows the Messiah had a two-fold nature, human and divine. The royal sonship of Christ from David’s line is in Matthew 1:1-8 and his human sonship through David’s line to Adam is in Luke 3:23-38.”[i]

The lesson was that they were not just looking at a human being, but a divine one, too. It also showed them that this two-fold being they were addressing had enemies. The Pharisees were supposed to be his subjects obedient to him, but instead, they were disobedient. Jesus was trying to help them see the truth.

Many do not believe Jesus to be the Son of God. Many have struggled with this, but the struggle doesn’t have to continue. What is needed is a study of God’s word. The gospel is God’s power to salvation (Romans 1:16). If you need to understand the truth as taught by Jesus, you can.

Jesus wants to teach you something. If you don’t believe him as the Son of God, he has a lesson or two for you. Just start studying the word of God. That is where the truth is.

[i] “A Homiletic Commentary on the Book of Matthew, Garland Elkins and Thomas B. Warren, editors; Getwell Church of Christ, Memphis, Tennessee; Sain Publications, 1988.

John Henson

The Christians in the first century lived in a society that was much further along in their anti-Christian policies than we are today. What is encouraging is that Christianity grew and thrived and eventually overwhelmed the anti-Christian Roman paganism around them, simply by living the Christian life as Christ intended and by being faithful to that testimony. That’s the message of Revelation for us today.

GOD’S PEOPLE ARE PROTECTED FROM GOD’S WRATH – 7:1-8:

These four winds are the wrath of God and God causes these angels to hold back the wind so it doesn’t blow God’s wrath, to give the angel time to seal the “bond-servants of our God” on their foreheads. This “seal” on the forehead is a metaphor (emoji) from the book of Ezekiel (9:4-6) where God told Ezekiel to do the same thing so that when Babylon invaded Judah, the faithful would know that God knew those who were His and He would protect them. God doesn’t necessarily protect us from the wrath of “Babylon” or “Rome” or the “United States of America” but He will protect us from His wrath as we will see later in this chapter. Notice even this angel is sealed by the living God; this angel belongs to God and he serves at God’s discretion.

Christianity grew out of the religion of Israel as a plant grows out of the seed. It is connected, but different. The church of Christ is the true Israel of God, Paul says in Galatians 6:16; Philippians 3:3 (the “true circumcision”). The point of this paragraph, however, is to show that God protects those who are His, who are sealed. The evil in the world might take our lives, but God will protect our spirits, our souls.

WE ARE SEALED BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST – 7:9-17:

Christians stand before the Lamb, clothed in white robes – symbolizing their purity and holiness in the eyes of God. That’s why Christians can stand before God. The palm branches in their hands are an imagery from the Feast of Tabernacles which celebrated God’s deliverance and protection of Israel during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Of course, the Jews took palm branches and laid them on the ground as Jesus entered into Jerusalem. He entered as the King, but a King who was humble, riding on the foal of a donkey. Humble faithfulness to God is what God requires, regardless of what our society does.

These individuals are those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. In other words, Christians. We pointed out last week from our study of the “First Passover” that the blood of Christ washes our sins away when we are baptized into Christ: Acts 22:16; Ephesians 5:26-27; Hebrews 10:22.

There is also the imagery here of God spreading His “tabernacle” or “tent” over Christians. This denotes protection. While it is true that we will have spiritual bodies in heaven and therefore will not need to eat or drink, the idea in verse 16 is more the fact that all our needs are provided. We will not need to eat or drink; we will not be hungry or thirsty any more. The sun will not “beat down” on us nor will heat because we are protected by God’s tent overshadowing us.

The Lamb is in the center of the throne; He is our shepherd. He will guide us to “springs of the water of life.” Again, all our needs will be provided. And, there will be no pain or sorrow in heaven. God will wipe every tear from our eyes.

We have had a relatively long and pro-Christian / peaceful period in the history of America. But that is an anomaly relative to the broader history of mankind. Jesus promised that His children should expect persecution. That’s why Jesus warns us to not be ashamed of Him or His words. We still must teach and defend Christ’s gospel; that’s “rich reality” #2.

But chapter 7 helps us see that the suffering we endure in this life does not compare to the glory God will give to us if we can stay faithful to the end.

God knows those who are His. Find strength in this fact.

Paul Holland

Our family had a good friend who was skilled in sleight-of-hand magic. Our children were about 10 or 15 years old at the time and were mesmerized by the illusions he could perform. They were particularly amazed by a finger guillotine he used. He asked each of them to place their fingers in the guillotine, and then it would seem he would close it over their fingers without ever hurting them. They couldn’t figure that out.

Jesus sent seventy disciples with instructions to heal the sick and tell people the kingdom of God had come near to them (Luke 10:9). They returned in great joy and were amazed by their miraculous ability. They told the Master that “even the demons submit to us in your name,” (Luke 10:17). Jesus told them not to rejoice about their abilities. He said something else was more worthy of their happiness and amazement: their names were written in heaven (Luke 10:20).

That the disciples’ names were written in heaven was much more important than any of the miracles they had performed. But why? The people the disciples had healed would eventually get sick and die. But those who had preached the gospel could enjoy the inestimable pleasure that eternal life was waiting.

Every year people of the United States remember those who have given their lives in terrible wars to defeat tyranny and so others might live in peace. Such a memorial is important. But it is more important to realize that if a person obeys the gospel, one might enjoy eternal life in heaven.

Is your name written in heaven? If you have obeyed the gospel and are living a faithful life as a Christian, it is. If not, won’t you take some time to learn how to obey the Lord so your name will be recorded there?

John Henson

New York City has seen just about everything, but yesterday saw a “first”.  On Wednesday Mayor Eric Adams introduced Kathleen Corradi as the city’s first “director of rodent mitigation”.  Most will likely refer to her as the Rat Czar.

The former schoolteacher was hired to address a growing problem with rats.  Rat sightings increased in 2022, according to a story carried by United Press International.  Through September of 2022 there were 21,600 complaints filed, an increase of 74% over the same period in 2020.  The ad which drew Ms. Corradi’s attention called for a person who “must be “highly motivated and somewhat bloodthirsty”.  In other words, take no prisoners.  Most would agree with the goal of extermination.

This sounds eerily similar to a story from the 13th century when the town of Hamelin in Lower Saxony, Germany, hired a piper to address the rat problem they were facing.  Those were the days of the Black Plague, and the piper assured the mayor of that town he could lure the rats out by playing his flute.  He did as promised, but the mayor reduced the man’s pay significantly.  In retaliation, the piper used his charms to lead the children out of the town, and they were never seen again.

An account in 1 Samuel 5 and 6 also sounds similar to New York City’s rat plague.  In that account, the Philistines (perennial enemies of Israel) captured the ark of the covenant and took it to their own town.  “But the hand of the Lord was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors” (1 Samuel 5:6).  When the ark was moved to other Philistine cities, the same thing happened.  There was obviously a connection between their suffering and possessing something that belonged to God.

What finally removed this plague of tumors (likely a sign of bubonic plague) was sending the ark back to Israel.  Along with the ark were sent “five golden tumors and five golden rats” (1 Samuel 6:4), sent as a peace offering to God.  Once the ark again resided in its rightful place, the rats disappeared.

God has the power to bring plagues upon those who resist His will.  The most famous episode was with Egypt when God determined to bring Israel out of their bondage.  The first plague brought upon Egypt, turning the water into blood, was introduced with these words: “By this you shall know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 7:17).  When God’s final blow was about to fall upon Pharaoh and his army, God said, “Then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen” (Exodus 14:18).

You and I have not likely experienced the wrath of God in the form of plagues (though some argue that COVID-19 was a plague from God).  But God can do it.  How thankful we should be, therefore, for how God has approached each of us: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11).  Instead of a plague of rats, God extends grace to us.  We still experience life’s problems, but His grace means we have resources to help us in such times (Hebrews 4:15,16), and deliverance from the ultimate enemy of man, death (Hebrews 2:14,15).  Let us be attentive to the sweet sounds of that loving grace.  They lead us to life in abundance (John 10:10).

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Copyright, 2023, Timothy D. Hall

“The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him” (Mark 1:12-13 ESV).

When traveling to distant and sometimes unfamiliar places I miss home, with all of my family, friends, and normal routines. Though I am usually busy and in the presence of many people, I can still feel lonely and isolated because of who I am not with and what I am not doing. Loneliness is a condition most of us experience at times, and it is one that is not generally pleasant.

After Jesus went to the Jordon River to be baptized by John, he was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness where he fasted for 40 days. Though by all human standards he was by himself, Mark makes it plain that he was not actually as lonely as we might assume. In the short two-verse version of Jesus’ temptation in the second Gospel account, we find four other presences accompanying him. These I call “four things we can never escape.”

First,  Jesus was “driven by the Spirit.”

I think Mark’s choice of verbs is deliberate and significant. Our Lord was about 30 years old and had been anxious for his Father’s business since at least the age of 12 (Luke 2:41-52). Surely he was anxious to begin his earthly ministry. I cannot imagine that he wanted to spend more than a month alone in the wilderness. Yet that was God’s plan for this particular time. He would not, and could not, avoid God’s spirit – that is, God’s purpose and plans for him.
Neither can we. We can neglect the Spirit, disobey the Spirit, quench the Spirit, but we cannot escape God’s purposes.

Second, we cannot escape physical circumstances
Jesus was God in the flesh, and as such he could feel heat, cold, rain, sun and all other conditions. He also was vulnerable to dangers, just as are all other humans. Mark says “he was with the wild animals.”

The key to survival and happiness is acceptance and perseverance. As Paul said, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

Rather than complain about the cold or the heat, the rains or the drought, let us learn to appreciate this world which God has given us and be thankful for all of its conditions.

Third, we cannot escape evil and temptation.

Even alone in a harsh environment with little to apparently tempt him, Satan found him and he also found much with which to lure Jesus from his purpose on earth. We often blame our circumstances for our sins.

I once counseled a man who found it impossible to stay faithful to his wife (his words). It turned out that he would visit bars and pick up women there. I told him, “Stay out of bars.” But I knew that if he could not practice self-control he would find temptation in other places just as easily.
Where we are is not the problem. Many parents send their children to private schools so they will not be confronted with all of the temptations found in some public schools.
It is true that in many private institutions children may not be confronted as openly or often with drugs, violence or other problems. But temptations will occur. There is no perfect place where sin is completely absent.

Fourth, Jesus was ministered to by angels.

We cannot escape God’s grace. Wherever we go, no matter how sinful and separated by God we become, God’s love can find us and his grace can cleanse us. Nothing in all of creation can separate us from the love of God which is expressed in Christ Jesus his son (Romans 8:39).
We can refuse and resist grace, but we cannot go beyond its reach. If and when we seek repentance and obediently trust in Jesus’ sacrifice for us, we will be drawn back into fellowship with God and with all of his people (1 John 1:5-10).

Michael Brooks

Why bother with the Old Testament if we are considered New Testament Christians? Here’s five reasons:

1. Jesus was a Jew — we’ll start with the obvious one. Matthew chapter 1 is more than a genealogy; it’s a story of God’s articulate providence in preserving a heritage. Reading the Old Testament gives us an invaluable background on the Son of God. We can better understand Jesus’ background and life when we read those 39 OT books.
2. It’s Fascinating — Tell me of another place you can read history lessons of the earth opening up, swallowing an entire assembly of people, and closing back up (Num. 16). Or the day when the sun stood still (Jos. 10). Or when a hand appeared out of thin air and proceeded to write on a wall (Dan. 5)? I can’t tell you how many times I sat down to read the writings of the OT and hours passed as if they were minutes.
3. It’s a shadow of the heavenly things — The Hebrew writer tells us the things of this earth are a shadow of that which is in heaven (Heb. 8:5). There is a REAL temple in Heaven, along with a REAL Eden, a REAL mercy seat, and a REAL tree of life. We learn of all these principles in the OT. One day our faith, being built up by our studies, will become sight when we arrive to the eternal life. The OT helps us see a preview of what is to come.
4. It’s a guide — Paul states that the law was a guardian in Gal. 3:24. This can also be translated as “teacher,” “tutor,” or “instructor.” It was used to teach people about God and Faith until Jesus came. While there is a new system of salvation, the OT still preserves many lessons and teachings that we would benefit from.

It’s an avenue of conviction — Few pieces of literature can convict an individual like that of the OT. We learn God has feelings and agonizes over our sin (Gen. 6:6). We realize that we can easily push God aside due to an abundance of blessing (Ezek. 16). We sympathize with those who feel broken (Lam. 3). We understand the suffering of Jesus was known and prophesied (Is. 53). We learn of our role in putting Jesus on the cross (Acts 2). We internalize the value that God puts on us (Ex. 19:4-6).

Tyler King

144 hours.

8,640 minutes.

518,400 seconds.

That’s not a lengthy period of time to create the human experience but it’s all destined to end in an instant. Just like that, time is gone—everybody. Everywhere. Will be carried off into eternity.

The blink of an eye happens in 0.3 of a second.

God gave us that ability so that we might protect our delicate corneas and sclera from dust particles and other small debris which easily aggravate the eye.

The reflex and speed of the human blink is testimony to our mighty Creator’s designing ability but in His divine wisdom, He knew the blink would also be an illustration for the way in which He will return on day.

The average person will blink 15 to 20 times a minute.

900 to 1,200 times an hour.

14,400 to 19,200 times a day.

100,800 to 134,400 times a week.

That’s between 5.2 and 7.1 million times a year.

In other words, it seems like God intended to remind us all millions of times a year that He is coming back.

The blink of an eye occurs in 0.3 a second.

You can’t hear the gospel message in that time.

You can’t believe that Jesus is the son of God in that time.

You won’t be able to repent in that amount of time.

You couldn’t confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior in that time.

You certainly can’t be immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins in that time.

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” – I Cor. 15:52

Now is the time to prepare for that last and final blink.

Dale Pollard

Someone asked if traffic had increased on our little country road. My mother replied that we had more traffic than the nearby town. This response is an example of hyperbole. Hyperbole has long been used rhetorically for effect. So, was my mother lying? It seems that in recent years some are equating hyperbole to lying. Critics routinely called our nation’s previous president a liar because of his frequent use of hyperbole. Reuters published an article in 2015 about how the president’s habit, as extolled in his Art of the Deal, might backfire against him (Flitter and Oliphant). They were correct.

Consider the treatment that the word “hyperbole” receives from Webster’s Dictionary, as demonstrated in the original 1828 edition and 2021 online version. The former is more nuanced.

“In rhetoric, a figure of speech which expresses much more or less than the truth, or which represents things much greater or less, better or worse than they really are. An object uncommon in size, either great or small, strikes us with surprise, and this emotion produces a momentary conviction that the object is greater or less than it is in reality. The same effect attends figurative grandeur or littleness; and hence the use of the hyperbole which expresses this momentary conviction.” (Webster)

And here is what Merriam-Webster tells modern students of English:

“: extravagant exaggeration.”

In other words, as noted by Daniel Webster himself, hyperbole might reflect one’s emotional state rather than a conscious decision to deceive. However, the successful use of hyperbole requires an unbiased and knowledgeable audience. In other words, they must be able to understand you are exaggerating for effect.

Even so, we admit people can use hyperbole to manipulate. Perhaps, this is the type of hyperbole usage that caused President Trump’s political enemies to call him a liar. For example, was he the “best jobs president?” He did create an economic environment that led to historic job growth. However, if God allows time and the United States to continue, another president may create even more jobs. Hence, we can only qualify his statement. The truth as to whether his message is a lie boils down to intent, which may be something requiring omniscience to determine.

We asked at the outset, with our title, whether hyperbole is a sin. It might be helpful to know that the Bible contains hyperbole. Jesus used hyperbole in Mark 10.25.

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (NASB1995)

What about Jesus’ usage of hyperbole in Matthew 5.29-30?

“If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.” (NASB1995)

How would you qualify our Lord’s speech? Was He lying? Certainly not!  Clearly, He is using exaggeration for rhetorical effect. In the latter case of hyperbole cited, He says that you should be willing to do whatever it takes to enter heaven, even if it seems unreasonable or extreme to you since your entry into heaven is of greater importance than anything sacrificed.

If people equate hyperbole with lying today, it seems more likely an indictment of our public education system’s failure or an unwillingness to evaluate the intended purpose of its usage fairly. Someone may be acting too nitpicky. But we do remind the Christian desirous of communicating the Gospel to others that Paul commands us to ensure our speech’s soundness is beyond reproach (Titus 2.7-8). There are groups with whom we must exercise caution since they take things literally, primarily children and those on the autistic spectrum. Neither should we use hyperbole derogatorily since James cautions us not to use the same tongue to praise God while cursing men (James 3.8-10). Otherwise, our hyperbole use may be the greatest seasoning we can add to our speech when making a point. As with all communication, it is best to season it with grace (Colossians 4.6).

Sources Cited:

Flitter, Emily, and James Oliphant. “Best President Ever! How Trump’s Love of Hyperbole Could Backfire.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 28 Aug. 2015, www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump-hyperbole-insight-idUSKCN0QX11X20150828.

“Webster’s Dictionary 1828 – Hyperbole.” Websters Dictionary 1828, webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/hyperbole.

“Hyperbole.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyperbole.

Brent Pollard