[Biblemat] The Messenger Vol 002 Iss 004

Sat Jan 27 22:08:27 CST 2007

The Messenger

Published Weekly by Main Street Church of Christ

306 West Main Street, Newbern, TN 38059   731-627-3514

bibleanswers at charter.net                                    www.mainstreetchurchofchrist.org

Bulletin Editor: T. Sean Sullivan

VOLUME TWO::ISSUE 004::January 28, 2007  

ARTICLE ONE: Our First Love

ARTICLE TWO: Ignoring God?

Our First Love

            What cause your heart to ignite into flame? I do not mean the kind of heartburn that we get after a spicy burrito. I am talking about the things in this life that you love to do, that you would drop anything else to do that one other thing if you could. There are many past time hobbies that people devote that time and energy toward. People love to go fishing, camping, hunting, or sitting in a cozy spot with a good book. Many different things in this life fuel our passions.

What about God? We need to consider for a few moments our emotional involvement with our Creator. The purpose of this lesson is to inspire Christians to more faith and more desire; I want to stimulate the desire in those who are not yet Christians to take on that faith. 

In the second and third chapters of the book of Revelation we have seven letters written to seven churches.  One in particular is the letter the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7).  The brethren at Ephesus were once very zealous; according to Revelation 2:4 they had left that zeal and were in danger of the opposite action of indifference. Indifference is the enemy of zeal and the two cannot belong to the same heart.

If you are a Christian today, think back to when you first obeyed the gospel.  Was your excitement at the level of a burning desire to tell everyone-that is zeal! Many, like you, start that way-just bursting to tell someone. Many begin with zeal: It is much like that energy that kids have that we wish we could bottle up for ourselves. We tend to lose it long before we should.  Let's consider zeal and its enemy indifference. 

What Is Zeal?

Zeal according to Mr. Webster is "eagerness and ardent interest in the pursuit of something".  Zeal to us is the desire we had when that little light turned on in our heads -when we read, and heard, the word of God as truth (Romans 10:17; John 17:17). When we knew that Jesus was the Son of God, our only hope for salvation (Acts 4:12). When we knew the answer to the question, "What must I do to be saved?" (Acts 2:38;Mark 16:16).  When we confessed with our whole heart our faith in Christ and were baptized (Acts 8:37-38).  When we have same feeling and desire that the eunuch had in Acts 8:39 "went on his way rejoicing" or the desire demonstrated in Matthew 13:44-46          

Zeal is motivation. When we are zealous we are focused.  Giving God the service He expects (Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 22:37).  This type of service, this type of love cannot be achieved with half-hearted service. Zeal is never satisfied with past achievements; zeal always desires more.  When we are zealous we see others' needs and we are motivated to help them. We are commanded to carry out the message of the Gospel to the whole world (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16). We cannot convince anyone to be what they need to be, to change, with a half-hearted approach. We need to be zealous in our approach; we need to show the world the effect that Christ has had on our lives.

         Have you ever seen a suit salesman at work wearing a t-shirt and jeans? No way, they want you to see how good their suits will make you look.  They do this by wearing their product. Are you wearing your product? We need to demonstrate how wonderful it is to be a Christian (Galatians 5:22-23; Colossians . Others should be able to see Christ in you and desire the same for themselves.

What About Indifference?

First, indifference is not a good thing-it is the enemy. Indifference is capable of killing us spiritually. Indifference is something that will cause Christ to deny us (Revelation 1:4-5). It is a lack of zeal. 

All too often we have become comfortable and complacent concerning our duties. We want to climb to a plateau, but when we stop to look around we tend to forget that we are supposed to continue climbing.  The Hebrew writer commended us to run our race (our life) with endurance (Hebrews 12:1-3).  An Olympic runner will never get the gold medal by deciding that they have a comfortable lead so they can stop to watch the race.

Indifference is in the heart of a Christian who has stopped telling others about their hope. Indifference is in the heart of those who have become satisfied with not evangelizing. It is the place of those who are comfortable with those who are in the "club" and not eager for new members. We cannot allow this to creep in and kill our zeal, this is not a clubhouse this a building where the disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ meet to encourage each other and introduce new people to the Lord's plan.  We need to sound forth the message in word and deed like the church at Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 1:6-10).  They received the word, even through trials; they spread the word everywhere they went.

The apostle Paul knew God does not accept indifference (Romans 1:13-18).  He spread the gospel and would allow it to be suppressed.  

What Can We Do To Develop Our Zeal?

Discover again the first things.  Read and cherish the word (Psalm 19:7-11; 119: 97-105). Change your grip on God's out-stretched hand (Acts 17:27-28). There are many passages that build zeal. 

Pray for zeal, and open your heart to the fuel of God's word. The promise is, "Ask and you shall receive" (Matthew 7:7-11). If you ask according to God's will your request will be granted. 

Conclusion:

A heart burning with zeal is one that is diligent for service to God (2 Timothy 2:15).  A heart full of zeal offers no room for the corruptions of the world. It takes time to develop great zeal. Zeal starts like any other fire, with a little kindling and a spark.  If your zeal is only a candle flicker and not a towering inferno, now is the time to fuel the flame. ~tss

Truths Exposed By Death

      On Friday June 9th I received a phone call from a friend in Florida. He was noticeably shaken as he related the news of his wife's condition resulting from a massive stroke. His wife was lying unconscious in a hospital in Daytona Beach and the grim report was that she has no possibility of recovery, she is going to die. 

Things like a life-ending stroke, a car wreck, or other accidents are just not in our plans. We all look at the future with great borrowed certainty, without many thoughts of the reality, and uncertainty, of time. There is nothing wrong with looking out beyond today, in fact that is what you need to do. But we must do so as preparation for our ultimate futures not just the daily entertains of the world. 

When death comes suddenly, and unexpectedly, around us it is a wake up call to really look at our lives. There is not one person here who can say with any certainty, "That won't be me on the edge of life and death"-even tomorrow. When death calls we learn some very significant truths. Let's examine a few of those truths this morning.

Truth: "Valuable" Is Defined:

What is valuable to any average resident of this country: sports, recreation, family, money? We know that money has been given a tremendously high value in our country.     We glorify the rich and desire to have their wealth. Case in point: Bill Gates, founder and CEO of Microsoft Corporation. No one admires Bill Gates for his looks, or his character, or his style. Bill Gates is admired for his wealth-what a superficial standard of greatness.             

We associate money with success. Many Americans are working so long that they are alienated from their families and their true responsibilities. It is good and right to have a good job that supplies our needs (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). However, that job cannot supplant the necessity of providing for our family (1Timothy 5:8). This "provision" has often been thought of as a generic idea where, "I provide what I think they need". This is not the case since God provides for us an exact outline of what our family needs are and in what order they are to be provided. Consider Luke 2:52, the example is Jesus, and His parents here on earth, who raised Him as they should. Look at what it said about His development: He increased mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially-in that order. 

When death comes calling we quickly learn that all the money in the world cannot replace a loved one (Matthew 16:26). Does money have a place in our life? Of course, but its place is not "First place" (Matthew 6:25-33). Family, and love, and faith, are the truly valuable. We need to learn and live the reality Jesus taught in Luke 12:13-15.

Truth: No One Has A Lease On Life.

Nothing is this world is taken for granted more often than our time. Procrastination, hesitation, and indolence all waste our precious time. Time is something we have but cannot capture. Time is something we want but cannot reach for. Time is something we need more of but it is only given in momentary measures. 

Death comes to the old and the young, the rich and the poor. Death is not prejudice over looks or style. Death comes to Presidents and CEOs and even the clerks filing the paperwork. The fact is we cannot count on tomorrow to get to our true responsibilities. When someone is unexpectedly taken from this life we clearly learn that the length of any life is uncertain (James 4:14). Right now is the time to prepare! We must prepare for judgment while we have opportunity (Hebrews 9:27). Paul wrote, "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2). Why was that day the "day of salvation"? They were all alive and able to be saved that day. Not one of them had any assurance of tomorrow; their opportunity was only found in the day in which they were living. If you know that you are not prepared, why are you waiting?

Truth: We Need God Now

Not one, or all, of our material things can bring back anyone who dies. The rich can no more buy their loved ones back than can the poor. Our material things fail because our money cannot buy back our loved ones. Our possessions cannot comfort us through our loss. Suddenly the pursuit of more material things is devalued in the realization of death. 

The question must then be: what do we have to rely on? We have, and need, God.

Through all of the stresses and grief of mankind, through all our victories and times of rejoicing, only one "factor" remains constant-God. We exist because God created us (Psalm 100:1-3). We remain because God sustains us (Acts 17:28). We continue in the hope He affords us (Romans 5:5-11). With God we have all comfort and love and assurance (Romans 8:31-39). No one will ever prevail against God-God will be victorious. If we are with God we will be victorious. 

Death reminds us that this life is temporary and every investment in it will fade and be gone except one: The time and effort that we have put into knowing, and obeying, the will of our Creator. If you have focused on money and have forgotten God, all that you have will fail you. If you have focused on popularity and have forgotten God, all that you have will fail you. If you have focused on entertainment and recreation and have forgotten God, all that you have will fail you. If you determine to stand with God, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus Christ our Savior, all that you have will remain steadfast and sure until the time when you are carried into the wonderful and certain everlasting Heaven (Revelation 14:12-13).

Conclusion:

There are many questions that come up when someone passed from this life. Questions that are essential for our betterment (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4). Our introspection makes us wise toward the need of preparation. The truth is, there is only one truth! Have you obeyed the truth? Death will come to each of our lives. If we prepare today, we will be ready. Are you ready?                                                                                            ~tss

If you are enjoying The Messenger and you know someone else who would like to receive it. Please forward it to them or send me their email address and I will add it to the list.   Sean

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