What must I do to be saved?

Many of you have seen a list of “bulletin bloopers.” These, however, are fairly new (at least, to me). I believe these can be found in a book called “Anguished English” by Richard Lederer:

Women’s Luncheon: Each member bring a sandwich. Polly Phillips will give the medication.

Hymn: “It is Well with my Solo”

Congratulations to Tim and Rhonda on the birth of their daughter October
12 thru 17.

Diana and Don request your presents at their wedding.

For the word of God is quick and powerful…piercing even to the dividing asunder of soup and spirit.

We pray that our people will jumble themselves.

Janet Smith has volunteered to strip, and refinish the communion table in the sanctuary.

Were you there when they laid Him in the bomb?

Mark your calendars not to attend the church retreat.

My joke is easy and my burden is light.

I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirty and you gave me drink.

We are an autonomous body, operating under the hardship of Jesus Christ.

Hymn: I am Thin, O Lord.

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even though he diets, yet shall be live.

Our regular service will be gin at 11:00 a.m.

When parking on the north side of the church, please remember to park on an angel.

Jean will be leading a weight-management series Wednesday nights. She’s used the program herself and has been growing like crazy!

I realize that a weight-management class is not where you want to be seen “growing like crazy,” but that phrase should certainly describe our Christian lives. Growth is not only healthy, it is absolutely essential. Parents would worry about a child that looks the same at the age of 5 as he did at the age of 2. We expect growth.

The same is true in our spiritual lives. If we are just the same as we were five or ten years ago, then something’s wrong — we’re not growing. May our goal be to grow closer and closer to the likeness of Jesus day by day (2 Cor. 3:18).

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:18)

Have a great day!

Alan Smith

When our mission team planned to move to Romania to do mission work, we signed a letter of commitment to each other. We committed to be fully dedicated and committed to Jesus and the authority inherent in His word. We committed to working as a team and to work out all problems in the spirit of love and meekness. We committed ourselves to the team above all other relationships (other than our immediate family). We committed to agree with the majority decisions of the group unless it violated the Scriptures or our conscience. We committed ourselves to staying on the field throughout our discouragements and we committed ourselves to learning about Romanian culture and its language.

Through the ups and downs of life, we have the ability to find joy in Jesus Christ. Paul encourages the Christians in Philippi, through his letter to the church there, to live a defiant joy. Meditate with me on the first 13 verses of chapter 2…

To live a defiant joy, remember that you have encouragement in Jesus Christ. Remember that you have consolation in the love of fellow Christians. Remember that you have the fellowship brought by the Holy Spirit when He brought us all together into one body (1 Cor. 12:13). Remember the affection we have for one another. Remember the compassion we also have for one another.

But that “fellowship of the Spirit” can bring tension with fellow Christians, as it did with Euodia and Syntyche in Philippi (4:2). So how can we live a “defiant joy” when we sometimes disagree with each other? Paul emphasizes that division is wrong in the Lord’s church, which we saw already in 1:27. Here, Paul says:

“Have the same mind.” Literally, he says, “The same thing think.” That is, be united in what Jesus teaches. His doctrine is the source of our unity (John 17:20-21).

Then he says, “the same love, having.” That is, the love of Christ which ought to control us in all we say and do (2 Cor. 5:14).

Third, he says we should be “together-souled.” This is the only place this word is used and it is the word “soul” with “together” prefixed to it. How much closer unity could you have?

Finally, he says, “the one thing, thinking.” So, we have to have unity.

But how is that possible? He writes in verses 3-4 how it is possible. Don’t have selfish ambitions. Don’t have empty conceits. Be humble. Consider others as superior to yourself. Look after the interest of others rather than just your own. And “think like Jesus!”

This is when Paul gives us one of the most beautiful passages in Scriptures about the humility of Jesus Christ. He chose not to hold onto His position with the Godhead in heaven, but He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, a human being, who was susceptible to death, specifically the death on the cross.

But because of Christ’s humility and His obedience, God exalted Him and gave Him a superior name so that every knee would bow to Him and every tongue would confess His name.

The “cross” we are called to bear requires humility toward each other. The “crown” of exaltation we will receive if we have humbled ourselves for the sake of unity. That’s how you live a defiant joy!

Paul Holland

What purpose does Christ serve for you?

Obviously He can be any of those things and more, but many of these points we can get from someone else besides Jesus Christ. The one thing that Jesus does for us that no one else can do is save us from our sins.

To this point, the author of Hebrews says Jesus is a “merciful and faithful high priest” (2:17). He is the “high priest of our confession” (3:1). He is a “great high priest” who has risen from the dead (4:14). He is a high priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses (4:15). Now that last verse is only two verses removed from the text we are going to use to feed our spirits: chapter 5…

JESUS IS EMPATHETIC AND GENTLE – 5:1-6:

Notice this important point in verse 2. Since the high priest was taken from among men, he could deal “gently” with the ignorant and misguided because he also was “beset by weakness.” Well, the writer just told us that Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses because He was tempted in every thing just as we are. Yet, He was without sin! The priest under the Law had to offer sacrifices for the people and for himself! But Jesus did not because He was sinless.

Because Jesus was God in the flesh, we know and must trust that Jesus is gentle, compassionate, and merciful. No one understands exactly what we go through better than Jesus Christ. He understands our frailty and He understands our weaknesses.

JESUS IS THE SOLE SOURCE OF SALVATION – 5:7-10:

Never allow yourself to believe that Jesus lived an easy life and did not have difficult decisions to make! Never allow yourself to believe that Jesus accepted what Satan threw at Him without crying about it – even loudly! Here is the Hebrew writer’s point that he has been making… Jesus identifies with us and He sympathizes with us! Jesus is not apathetic to our pain and suffering and frustrations in life!

Never allow yourself to forget that Jesus is the “Suffering Servant” of God! Jesus can comfort us in our struggles and hardships.

Decades ago, you might hear someone say about members of the church of Christ: “Oh, you think you are the only ones who are going to heaven.” My mom had the perfect response to that statement – which is not a fair statement to make – but my mom would respond, “well, we believe you have to obey Jesus to be saved, don’t you?” That comes from passages like Hebrews 5:8-9. There is no salvation without obedience!

GROW INTO MATURITY IN CHRIST – 5:11-14:

It’s one thing to be an immature Christian because you are, well, immature. It is a very different thing when you are a twenty-five year old still in diapers! He says in verse 11 they were “dull of hearing.”

These Christians needed to relearn basic principles of the gospel. Now, to a certain extent, we need to be reminded of basic principles of the gospel. But if you have been a Christian for a couple of decades, you ought to, by now, know something about Melchizedek! That is not my point, that’s the Hebrew writer’s point!

Spiritual growth involves constant training and practice. “Sermonettes make Christianettes,” said Wendell Winkler.

Embrace Jesus’ empathy and let Him help you reach new levels of maturity in your faith. Salvation is just the beginning!

Paul Holland

It’s that time of year again when many are planting gardens. Even if you are not gardening this year, or a gardener at all, you know why gardens are planted. Every spring, depending on what you plant in your garden, you anticipate fresh vegetables for your table or beautiful flowers to decorate your yard.

Knowing what you know about gardens also helps you understand Jesus’ parable about the soils (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8). When seed is planted, a harvest is expected. You also know that the better the soil, the better the harvest. The seed is the same, but rocks and weeds and other things can affect how that seed produces.

Now, let’s imagine our hearts as a garden free of rocks and weeds. That’s what Jesus wants us to do. Yet Jesus knows Satan will do his best to harden our hearts or make it as difficult as he can for the good seed of God’s word to grow in our hearts. But Jesus is more powerful than Satan. And so are we, if we choose to be. It’s our choice to hear God with understanding and allow His word to produce a rich harvest in us. That’s what good hearts do. Good hearts are not shallow or dry. Good hearts are not overgrown with worries and distractions which prevent our being fruitful. Good hearts always produce fruit. No exceptions!

That doesn’t mean that good hearts are all alike nor are any hearts perfect. Neither does it mean that good hearts will all produce the same amount of fruit. According to Jesus’ parable, the good soil produced varying amounts – some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty (Matthew 13.9).

Again, Jesus said good hearts always produce fruit. That’s because fruitfulness is the natural result of hearts that are willing, teachable and rooted in God and His word. When God’s seed is planted in good and honest hearts (Luke 8.15) a harvest is inevitable. When God’s word is growing in your heart, it will show!

However, what good hearts produce is not always equal. Some produce 30x, some 60x, and some 100x. Not everyone’s yield is the same because good hearts are not all the same. This isn’t a judgment, but a recognition of diversity, gifting and opportunity. What matters to God is not how much you produce, but that you produce because you are faithful with what you’ve been given (Matthew 25.14-30). As Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth” (1 Corinthians 3.6).  To God, a 30x harvest is just as much a good heart as a 100x harvest. So, don’t compare yourself with others. Make sure your heart is good by truly listening to God (Matthew 13.13-17), and trusting Him for the harvest. And be patient. A harvest always takes time (Luke 8.15). “Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear” (Matthew 13.16).

Joe Chesser

When you start the life of motherhood, you begin a life of tremendous responsibility and joy and, sometimes, heartache. Motherhood comes also with a lot of authority.

I have heard many moms, especially moms of young children, lament that their time is taken up with their children. They lament that they cannot do more for the church, that their children are frequently sick and they miss worship. One time, when the girls were little, I asked Rachel one Sunday what she thought of my sermon. She looked at me out of frustration and said, “You preached?”

Moms, while you are a mom, while you have children at home, under your care, your oversight, your influence, your ministry is motherhood. That’s your greatest role you can play in your service to God. Be a mom. Be the best mom you can be.

Let’s take a look at a famous mom in the New Testament – the mom of young Timothy…

Paul will commend Eunice, along with her mother, Timothy’s grandmother, in 2 Timothy 1:5 for them teaching Timothy the word of God. So here (Acts 16), on the second missionary journey, Paul begins to think that this young man, Timothy, would and should be an apprentice to become a Gospel preacher.

Notice the text says that Timothy “was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium” (vs 2). Paul wanted Timothy to go with him, to preach among the Jews the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Almost the entirety of what we know about Eunice is that she raised Timothy to become a Christian one day: The ministry of motherhood. If, the only thing you can say on your deathbed is that you stayed faithful to Christ and you raised 1, 2, 3 children (or more!) to follow Christ, that will be enough. Do not underestimate your significance as a godly mother!

So, what is involved in this “ministry of Motherhood”? Let’s mediate further on this point.

WATCH HOW YOU TALK:

Your children will get their first impressions about God and Jesus from you. From the way you talk. From what you talk about. If you are a warm, loving, strong-minded mother, your children will learn what God, the Father, is like with His love, affection, and good discipline.

PROVIDE INSTRUCTION:

One thing I have been amazed through mine and Rachel’s first 15 years of parenthood is that children have to be taught everything. They know almost nothing and most of that instruction comes while they are young, and frequently from mom. Moms, try not to get weary of answering questions.

Beyond the basics, children have to be taught manners. They have to be taught how to interact with other kids. Of course, a fundamental aspect of providing instruction is teaching your children about the Bible, about Jesus, and about prayer.

RESPONSIBILITY:

Another aspect of the ministry of motherhood is teaching your children to take responsibility. If you raise a child who can accept responsibility for himself or herself and then use what they have to serve others, then you will be a successful mom.

Eunice was a  good mom to Timothy, despite the fact that Timothy’s dad was an unbeliever. She did that with the help of her own mom, Timothy’s grandmother. We do not know what Timothy’s dad taught him. Maybe he was very involved in Timothy’s life in teaching him how to make a living. And that’s good, as far as it goes.

But the legacy that lives on is the spiritual training that Eunice gave her son. That’s the kind of legacy that lives eternally in our children’s hearts and minds.

Moms, your greatest ministry is your motherhood. Use it wisely.

Paul Holland

Sonja Lyubomirsky is a professor of psychology at the University of California-Riverside and she does research into what makes people happy. She has written at least two books. In one of them, The Myths of Happiness, she deals with a number of situations which we experience as humans that we often feel like steal happiness permanently from our hearts…

I’ll be happy when… I’m married to the right person.

I can’t be happy when… my relationship has fallen apart.

I’ll be happy when… I have kids.

I can’t be happy when… I don’t have a partner.

I’ll be happy when… I find the right job.

I can’t be happy when… I’m broke.

I’ll be happy when… I’m rich.

I can’t be happy when… the test results were positive.

I can’t be happy when… I know I’ll never play shortstop for the Yankees.

I can’t be happy when… the best years of my life are over.

These ten life events happen to us as Christians all the time, as a church family. Surely someone in our church family is experiencing one of these very situations right this minute.

Let’s meditate on the words of David from Psalm 56… a psalm which he wrote when he was trapped by the Philistines in the village of Gath…

DAVID FEELS PINNED IN – 56:1-2:

Have you ever felt like you were pinned in and had nowhere to go? You did not know what to do and you did not see a way forward?

Eighteen times this verb is used in the psalms: “Be gracious to me!” We need God’s grace sometimes to get through our day, sometimes through each hour!

THE SOLUTION TO HIS TROUBLE – 56:3-4:

“In the day,” the time frame of his troubles, is the same time frame of his trust! The day “I fear,” he states, “I myself (it is emphatic), You, I will trust.” Forty-six times the psalmist talks about trust.

MORE TROUBLE– 56:5-6:

In a series of verbs in verse 6, David talks about what they do against him:

They attack

They lurk

They watch my steps

They have waited to take my life (literally, “soul”)

THE SOLUTION – 56:7-13:

David finds his hope, his solace, his comfort in Jehovah God. God has “taken account” of his wanderings. God knows where David goes, where he hides, where he worries, and where he cries. Notice in verse 8, that David calls on God to “put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” In other words, David wants God to remember what he is going through; “don’t forget me!” David cries to God. Archaeologists have found small bottles which were apparently for tears shed for the dead; the bottles were deposited at the gravesite.

Let me give you some suggestions in strengthening your faith:

1) God is faithful. While there are a lot of verses that teach about the faithfulness of God, I will direct you to 1 Corinthians 10:13.

2) Remind yourself of other characteristics of God, like His “lovingkindness / steadfast love:” Psalm 136.

3) Remind yourself of various promises of God in the Bible, like Romans 8:28.

4) Read your Bible and meditate on it daily.

5) Pray daily that God will help your faith to be strong and to trust more in Him.

When life attacks you and you cry, remember that God cares. Your tears are in His bottle; trust Him to do the right thing for you.

Paul Holland

When Paul writes Philippians, he is in prison. He uses the word “chains” (translated as “imprisonment” by the NASV) four times all in the first chapter: 1:7, 13-14, 17. Yet, he also uses the verb “to rejoice” nine times: 1:18; 2:17-18, 28; 3:1; 4:4, 10. And he uses the noun “joy” five times: 1:4, 25; 2:2, 29; 4:1. How can Paul be defiantly joyful in the midst of such depressing surroundings? Well, in verses 15-30, he gives a few suggestions that he experienced that would be relevant to you as well, regardless of your surroundings.

“Preach” Christ out of good will and love (ver. 15). When I say “preach” here, I mean live your life as a living letter to be known and read by everyone (2 Cor. 3:2). Your trials and tribulations give you an opportunity to live and to teach the doctrine of Christ and why you have the hope within you (1 Peter 3:15).

Rejoice in and support the preaching of the gospel (ver. 18). The most important activity happening in this world, at every point of the compass, is the preaching of the gospel of Christ. Assuming you are a Christian, you have fellowship in that. You give to that goal. You pray for that goal. You encourage the preacher(s) and teachers in your sphere of influence. You might be “laid up” at home because of your health, but your prayers are not hindered!

Pray (ver. 19). Speaking of prayers, Paul really believed in prayer and must have had a prayer list a mile long. You can pray. Pray for resolution to your trials. Pray for courage and strength through your trials. Pray for wisdom to learn from your trials. Pray that you will stay faithful in your trials.

Remember you have the support of the Spirit of Christ Jesus (ver. 19). The Spirit of God is living and active through His word (Heb. 4:12). He is at work assisting the hearing and resolution of your prayers (Rom. 8:26-27). The Father wants you to stay faithful; the Son wants you to stay faithful; and the Spirit wants you to stay faithful.

You also have an earnest expectation and hope of better things to come (ver. 20). I wish to focus on that word “expectation.” The world might have a “hope” that their death will be quick and painless. The Christian expects their death to usher them into the Paradise of God. Regardless of how things look in this life, we have an earnest expectation and a hope that God will send an angel to take our spirit and carry it into the bosom of Abraham (Luke 16:22).

You will never be disgraced in staying faithful to Jesus (ver. 20). As long as you stay faithful to Jesus Christ and His word, you will never be put to shame. You will never be disgraced. Your faith might not be vindicated in this life in front of your family, friends, co-workers, or other detractors. But it will be consummated in heaven in the presence of the Father. You will never be ashamed of staying faithful to Christ.

To live is Christ (ver. 21)! If you are still alive in the flesh, then you have every opportunity to glorify your Savior. Through pain, glorify Him. Through disappointment, glorify Him. Through trials, glorify Him. He deserves all the honor we can show Him and if it brings distress and tribulation in this life, it just glorifies Him even more!

To die is gain! What does a Christian lose at death? Everything that is negative. What does a Christian gain at death? Everything that is of any real significance. “Just one glimpse of Him in glory will all the toils of this life repay.”

Make progress in your faith (ver. 25). Every temptation, every challenge, every trial we experience in this life is making us more like our Savior. They are making us more fit for heaven. The more our challenges increase and strengthen our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control, the better off we are.

Find joy in your own faith (ver. 25). There is pure joy in Christianity. Since Jesus has risen from the dead, nothing else ultimately matters. Earth is as close to hell as a Christian will ever get. And those statements are true because of Jesus Christ. Find joy in your faith.

Be united with fellow believers (ver. 27). Be united together as often as possible with fellow Christians. They are the ones with whom you share your faith. Worship with them. Study with them. Pray with them. Eat with them. Fellowship with them.

Show Satan your joy is defiant!

Paul Holland

I am going to die. I have a fatal condition known as humanity and that means that at some point. I am going to die. And so are you.

The one thing that concerns me about death is making sure Rachel is taken care of financially when I’m gone. She has graciously depended on me to provide the bulk of our income for the last 30 years and I would not want her to have to pinch pennies the last 30 years of her life because I’m gone. Other than that, death does not distress me. I don’t want to spend money dying, but it doesn’t distress me. Would I miss watching Theodore and Laurel growing up? From this side of the grave, I would have to say yes, but I trust that once I am in Hades, what is going on in this world will not be of any concern to me.

This is what the book of Ecclesiastes is all about. As Solomon works his way through the message of Ecclesiastes, he tells us that life is messy. But when you get to the end and you cross the valley of the shadow of death, then everything will be set right. Death will put everything into perspective and if we meditate on our own death, that vision can also put our lives into perspective.

Read Ecclesiastes 1:1-11.

One of the joys of being around toddlers is watching them use their imagination. My older brother had an imaginary friend named “Bop-bop.” But there is a huge difference between the imaginary world and the real world. And sometimes when we see and hear children playing in their imaginary world, it makes us sad to know that one day, their perspective is going to change drastically. Because there is real pain in the real world. There is real frustration in the real world. There is real confusion in the real world. There is real death in the real world.

So Solomon tells us right off the bat that “all is vanity.” All is vanity. Everything in life is pretty much a merry-go-around. Out of the 73 times “vanity” is used in the OT, Solomon uses it in Ecclesiastes 38 times. “All is vanity.” Everything is futile. Everything is like tying to grab the wind. James, of course tells us that life is a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes (James 4:14).

As we get older, we realize just how true the statement is “Time flies the older you get.” We are born, we live, we die, and it seems to happen so quickly. It is hard to believe that Rachel and I have been married 30 years. Where did that time go?

So Ecclesiastes is reflections on the brevity of life.

The advantage for the Christian is not that we can stop the merry-go-round; it is that we know the merry-go-round is not all there is. Solomon will talk to us in Ecclesiastes what we should and should not expect out of life. What is most important? Ecclesiastes 12:13-14…

Want to live a fulfilling life? Start by fearing God and keeping His commandments – it’s a game changer for every person.

Paul Holland

Over sixty years ago, “Old Maid’s Day” was first observed. It was done to honor never-married women over the age of 35.

It was not very long ago when a woman over the age of 20 panicked if she were not engaged. In the 2000s, however, with career opportunities so widely available for women, more and more are finding their niche, not in the home, but in the job market.

Yet many singles still covet the security and various other blessings that marriage provides. I can remember, before meeting Rachel when I was 23, feeling I might never get married!

One friend handed out a little poem entitled “Believe and Be satisfied.” The point was that our security and happiness should not be based on a relationship with another person, but in the sufficiency of our Savior.

The poem begins, “Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone. To have a deep relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But God to a Christian says, “No, not yet. Not until you’re satisfied and fulfilled and content with living, loving by Me alone, with giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me, to have an intensely personal and unique relationship with Me alone.”

Listen to the Words of the Creator: “I know the plans I have for you …plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer. 29:11). Now that’s a great promise – not just to maids, but to every person who put themselves into the hands of God. Are you looking for a spouse? Are you looking for a child? Are you looking for a job? Are you looking for health? Are you just looking?

It is a lesson that all of us need to learn.  God wants us to depend totally on Him and then we will be satisfied. We will not hunger for what this life has to offer, but what He has planned for us, even eternally.

Paul Holland

The church of Christ was established in Philippi in Acts 16 by the apostle Paul. Eventually, Paul ends in prison in Rome at the end of Acts where, it seems, he wrote the letter of Philippians. This letter is recognized as one of his most joyful letters despite the fact that he was in prison when he wrote it! In fact, in this paragraph we are considering, he mentions his “chains” three times (translated in the NASV as “imprisonment”). What does Paul say in this paragraph that we can do and should do in order to have a “defiant” joy when Satan hurls his attacks at us? (Because life is not always pretty!)

First, as we see in verse 1, be thankful. You may not have want you want but be thankful for what you have.

Second, as we see in verse 2, pray. Notice Paul’s emphasis on prayer in verses 2-3.

Third, remember that Christ is perfecting us, making us more like Him through all the adversities of life (ver. 6).

Fourth, as Christians, we are in each other’s hearts (ver. 7). When I had my colon surgery a few years ago, I was very encouraged by all the prayers that we offered for me – including over the phone while Rachel and I were eating at Chick-Fil-A!

Abound in love (ver. 9). Focus your energies outward and share the love of Christ with others. Do not allow yourself to get caught up in having a pity-party that you forget to serve.

Sixth, abound in real knowledge and all discernment. What is life really all about? Is there something you can do to change your situation? If not, why worry about it? If God can change your situation, and you cannot, see point #2 above.

Be sincere (ver. 10). Sincerity goes a long way to strengthening relationships and mending broken relationships.

Work at living a blameless life (ver. 10). Yes, we will all make mistakes and sin. But do your best to reflect Christ’s words in your speech, and His actions in your work, and His heart in your affections.

Ninth, remember you are righteous in God’s eyes if you have been washed by the blood of Christ (ver. 11). In other words, you are a “saint” (ver. 1).

Finally, remember that life is not about you. It is about bringing glory and praise to God our Creator and our Savior (ver. 11).

Live a defiant joy and make Satan mad!

Paul Holland