THE SPIRIT’S SWORD

published by

The Mt. Baker church of Christ

Bellingham, WA

May 7, 2000 -- Volume IV Number 10

Editor: Joe R. Price

Visit our Web Sites:

Mt. Baker church of Christ: http://www.bibleanswer.com/mtbaker

BIBLE ANSWERS: http://www.bibleanswer.com

In this issue:

• Names For Jesus
• What Does The Future Hold?
• Sermon Outlines:
  • The Roman Road To Salvation
  • Internal Evidences Of The Bible: Fulfilled Prophecies of the Nations (Lesson 5):
• Noteworthy News: ILOVEYOU Computer Virus Encircles Globe

NAMES FOR JESUS

To the ARTIST He is the One Altogether Lovely.

To the ARCHITECT He is the Chief Corner Stone.

To the BAKER He is the Living Bread.

To the BANKER He is the Hidden Treasure.

To the BIOLOGIST He is the Life.

To the BUILDER He is the Sure Foundation.

To the CARPENTER He is the Door.

To the DOCTOR He is the Great Physician.

To the EDUCATOR He is the Great Teacher.

To the ENGINEER He is the New and Living Way.

To the FLORIST He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley.

To the GEOLOGIST He is the Rock of Ages.

To the HORTICULTURIST He is the True Vine.

To the JUDGE He is the Righteous Judge, Judge of All Men.

To the JEWELER He is the Pearl of Great Price.

To the LAWYER He is the Counselor, the Lawgiver, the Advocate.

To the NEWSPAPER He is the Good Tidings of Great Joy.

To the PHILANTHROPIST He is the Unspeakable Gift.

To the PHILOSOPHER He is the Wisdom of God.

To the PREACHER He is the Word of God.

To the SCULPTOR He is the Living Stone.

To the SERVANT He is the Good Master.

To the STATESMAN He is the Desire of All Nations.

To the STUDENT He is the Incarnate Truth.

To the THEOLOGIAN He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith.

To the TOILER He is the Giver of Rest.

To the SINNER He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.

To the CHRISTIAN He is the Son of the Living God, the Savior, the Redeemer and the Lord.

-Author Unknown-

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?

Joe R. Price

None of us are able to tell the future without fail or fault ("you do not know what will happen tomorrow," Jas. 4:14). Still, most of us look to the future and wonder.

A recent Bible question which was asked through our BIBLE ANSWERS web site reflects this curiosity: "What does the Bible tells us about the future? What will happen in the earth?"

The Bible does not tell us everything that will happen in the future. But it does tell us enough to know that we must always be spiritually prepared for it (Matt. 24:42-51; Jas. 4:13-15).

Jesus Christ Will Return

"This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you say Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11)

Jesus will not return to the earth to establish His kingdom and reign in peace for 1,000 years. But when He returns He will:

• Judge mankind:

"...He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:31)

• Deliver the kingdom to God the Father:

"Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father..." (1 Cor. 15:24)

• Destroy the material world:

"...the elements will melt with fervent heat: both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up." (2 Pet. 3:10, 11-12)

The Future Of All Men

The future of every person includes:

• Resurrection from the dead:

"Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." (John 5:28-29)

• Judgment for our deeds in this life:

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." (2 Cor. 5:10)

• Reward or punishment:

"And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Matt. 25:46)

"He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Rev. 21:7-8)

• The future of the sinner is bleak and fearful:

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels..." (Matt. 25:41; cf. 2 Thess. 1:7-9)

• The future of the Christian is full of glory:

"When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." (Col. 4:3; cf. 1 Thess. 4:13-18)

Where Will You Spend Your Eternity?

The future is upon us. Every second of the clock brings us closer to eternity. We ought to say "if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." (Jas. 4:15)

Prepare for the future by becoming a Christian. Believe in Christ and confess your faith, repent of your sins and be baptized for the remission of our sins (Jno. 8:24; Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 17:30; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38). Then, your future will be bright. Your sins are forgiven. Remain prepared to meet your God through faithful living (2 Cor. 5:7-10; Col. 3:1-4; Gal. 2:20).

SERMON OUTLINES

For the complete outline of this sermon please visit BIBLE ANSWERS:

http://www.bibleanswer.com/romnroad.htm

THE ROMAN ROAD TO SALVATION

Scripture Reading: Romans 2:1-11

1. "The Roman Road" is used extensively by those who believe & teach one is saved by "faith only" (before & without water baptism).

2. Let's see where the Roman Road leads us.

I. THE ROMAN ROAD TO SALVATION: THE BIBLE MAP.

A. The Map: The Gospel of Christ - Rom. 1:16

B. The Destination: Salvation & Eternal Life - Rom. 6:22-23.

C. The Obstacle: Sin.

1. All are sinners (Rom. 3:9, 19, 23; 5:12).

2. "Acquittal of the guilt of sin" (Rom. 6:23).

D. The Route: Jesus Christ - Jno. 14:6.

1. God's grace - Rom. 3:24-25; 5:8-11.

2. Man's faith - Rom. 1:16-17; 3:21-22, 26-28; 4:1-5. Obedient faith is saving faith - cf. Rom. 1:5, 16:26; 6:17-18.

II. THE "FAITH ONLY" ROMAN ROAD MAP.

III. THE "FAITH ONLY" ROAD & THE BIBLE ROAD.

A. The Faith Only Map Of The 'Roman Road' Comes Up Short.

-Believe Jesus died for you; Confess you are a sinner; Repent of your sins; Pray the 'sinner's prayer.'

B. The Bible Map Of The 'Roman Road:'

-Believe in Christ (Rom. 1:16; 10:9-11); Repent of sins (Rom. 2:4); Confess faith in Christ as Lord (Rom. 10:9-10); Baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3-5); Be faithful (Rom. 6:1; 11:22; 12:1).

-Which map will you follow: The Bible edition of the Roman Road map, or man's edited version of that road map?

For the complete outline of this sermon please visit BIBLE ANSWERS:

http://www.bibleanswer.com/evidenc5.htm

(Lesson 5)

INTERNAL EVIDENCES OF THE BIBLE

Fulfilled Prophecies of the Nations

Scripture Reading: Habakkuk 1:12-2:4

1. Review the nature of prophecy.

2. Jer. 27:5 - God rules the nations & arranges them according to His will.

3. The fulfillment of prophecies about nations give us more evidence that the Bible is the word of God, not the word of men (2 Pet. 1:21).

I. NINEVEH IN PROPHECY: Isa. 10:12-14; Zeph. 2:13-15; Nahum.

1. Great & flourishing city destroyed

2. Captured when its rulers were drunken - Nah. 1:10; 3:11

3. Total destruction - Nah. 1:9

4. River flooding a factor in city's overthrow - Nah. 1:8; 2:6

5. Fire associated with overthrow - Nah. 2:13; 3:13

6. To become desolate & dry - Zeph. 2:13

7. Flocks to lie down there - Zeph. 2:14

II. EGYPT IN PROPHECY: Ezek. 29:9-15; 30:12-13; Isa. 19:5-7.

1. Land of Egypt would become a desolation and a waste - Ezek. 29:9-12 (cf. 29:3)

2. To become a base (lowly) nation - Ezek. 29:13-15

3. Land to become less productive - Ezek. 30:12; Isa. 19:5-7

4. No more princes from the land of Egypt - Ezek. 30:13

III. TYRE IN PROPHECY: Ezekiel 26.

1. Strongholds to be destroyed - 26:4

2. Many nations against her - 26:3

3. Be made a bare rock - 26:4, 14

4. Her ruins to be a place for spreading nets - 26:5, 14

5. Nebuchadnezzar to cast battlements against her - 26:7-8

6. Nebuchadnezzar would break through walls, tread the streets & kill the people - 26:9-11

7. Ruins of the city dumped into the water - 26:12

8. Never rebuilt, desolate & uninhabited - 26:14, 20

IV. BABYLON IN PROPHECY: Isaiah 13:17-22; Jeremiah 50-51.

1. Would be conquered by the Medes - Isa. 13:17-19

2. Overthrown, never inhabited - Isa. 13:19-20; Jer. 51:26

3. The Arab would refuse to pitch his tent there - Isa. 13:20

4. Shepherds would not tend their flocks there - Isa. 13:20

5. Inhabited by wild beasts - Isa. 13:21-22

6. The city to become heaps - Jer. 51:37

• Much of this outline is from CHRISTIAN EVIDENCES, Ferrell Jenkins, pages 97-105

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

(Current events in the light of Scripture)

Commentary On The News

ILOVEYOU Computer Virus Encircles Globe

Joe R. Price

The power of technology is incredible. It has provided mankind with wonderful advancements in all fields of human development. Computer e-mail is one such benefit. But as with most blessings come responsibility. Every blessing can be misused.

Enter the ILOVEYOU e-mail virus. As contagious as influenza, the "bug" raced around the world this week corrupting computer files, costing businesses and governments billions of dollars, and generally making life lousy for millions of folks. There are some intriguing spiritual parallels which caught our attention.

Like the spread of high tech illnesses, the soul-saving power of the gospel of Christ can also spread around the globe. Long before the World Wide Web the gospel was "preached in all creation under heaven," turning the world "upside down" (Col. 1:23; Acts 17:6). We must trust the power of the gospel and communicate its message of truth and salvation to the lost world (Rom. 1:16-17; 2 Tim. 2:2). From southeast Asia to Africa, from Europe to South America, the gospel is being preached and obeyed. Souls are being saved. "The Gospel Is For All", and may be among those who help spread it.

The ILOVEYOU virus also reminds us of the destructive nature of sin. Once given a place in our hearts, sin will spread its infectious and deadly presence into every crevice of the heart (Mk. 7:17-23). Christ Jesus is our "cure" for sin (Jno. 8:31-36). Apply the fix. Obey His gospel (Matt. 7:21-23; Mk. 16:16; Heb. 5:8-9).

The ILOVEYOU virus reminds us of how far gossip and its damage can spread. Like a parasitic worm which infiltrates its host, gossip feeds off those who speak it - and listen to it. " A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends." (Prov. 16:28) "The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body." (Prov. 26:22) Gossip burrows deep inside one's soul, destroying lives and souls as it goes. We must put away all such things which God hates (cf. Prov. 6:16-19).

The Spirit's Sword is a weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA

Send all questions/comments to the editor at: ssword@bibleanswer.com