And take…the sword of the Spirit, which  is the word of God.   Ephesians 6:17

THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD

Volume 19, Number 25
03/05/2017

Published by
Mt. Baker
church of Christ

Location:
  
1860 Mt. Baker HWY
Mailing Address:

       P.O. Box 30821
  Bellingham, WA 98228
       (360) 752-2692

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Bible Classes..........9:30 AM
Worship..10:30AM; 6:00PM

Wednesday:
Bible Classes.........7:00 PM
All sing last Wednesday

Web sites:
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Editor......Joe R. Price


Elders
Morris Bass
Rick Holt

Deacons
Aaron Bass
Rich Brooks
Mike Finn
Dan Head


 

In this issue:


Disney and the Culture War
Joe R. Price

My (almost) three-year-old grandson was “preaching” to the fireplace this week. It seems he heard my sermon last Sunday and my illustration that we teach our children by command – telling them, for instance, that the “fire is hot” and “do not touch it.” So, he was preaching that the fire is hot...do not touch it! Little eyes and ears see and hear – and remember – what we do and say. This is also true of what they see and hear on the Internet, the TV, in books, music and the movies.

It has long been a poorly held secret that the Walt Disney Company is pro-gay. Now, it is becoming bolder in its alliance with the LBGTQ agenda. This week, “A Disney XD show subtly displayed several gay kisses on an episode that aired yesterday. The Star vs. the Forces of Evil episode featured a scene at a boy band concert, where several people, including gay and lesbian couples, kiss to the music. The gender of various other lip-locked couples shown is unclear” (“Disney Airs its First-Ever Gay Cartoon Kiss,” heatst.com). This article reports that “last fall, the creators of Moana told the Huffington Post they wouldn’t rule out an LGBT Disney princess. Director Ron Clements said, “It seems like the possibilities are pretty open at this point.” Disney has also been under pressure to portray openly gay relationships in its TV shows and movies. At one point last year, the hashtag #GiveElsaAGirlfriend was trending” (Ibid).

Now, the makers of the soon-to-be-released live-action movie, Beauty and the Beast, openly acknowledge including a gay storyline between LeFou and Gaston. Director Bill Condon said in an interview, “LeFou is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston” (“World Exclusive: ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Set to Make Disney History with Gay Character,” attitude.com).

Lest someone think we are over-reacting, consider how the editor-in-chief of Attitude magazine (a pro-gay publication) characterized this:

Attitude editor-in-chief Matt Cain has welcomed the news as a landmark moment for LGBT representation.

It may have been a long time coming but this is a watershed moment for Disney,” he says.

By representing same-sex attraction in this short but explicitly gay scene, the studio is sending out a message that this is normal and natural – and this is a message that will be heard in every country of the world, even countries where it’s still socially unacceptable or even illegal to be gay.

Matt adds: “It’s only a first step towards creating a cinematic world that reflects the one in which many of us are now proud to live. But it’s a step in the right direction and I applaud Disney for being brave enough to make it – and in doing so hopefully helping to change attitudes and bring about real social progress.” (Ibid)

Did you get that? “Watershed moment.” “Normal and natural.” That is the message children (and adults) around the world will be seeing and hearing from Disney. He said Disney is brave as it helps “change attitudes and bring about real social progress.” Do you think this “one little time” is no big deal? It is easy to deceive ourselves, isn’t it? This is not just “one little time” Disney is doing this – it is not even the first time they have done it. Expect more to come. Their agenda is to change attitudes and make social progress; make no mistake. And, what better way to do that than by shaping the attitudes of our children?

God’s agenda is very different. Homosexuality is sin against God and against the order He established. “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due” (Rom. 1:26-27). Teach your children this.

The sinful activities that are normalized as “natural” by the LGBTQ crowd and their sympathizers do not strengthen society, but erode it. Respect for marriage and the home as God designed has already been drastically impacted by divorce, as husbands and wives pursue adultery rather than holiness (Heb. 13:4). Now, the LGBTQ agenda continues to destroy respect for God-given marriage by (legally) calling same-sex unions marriage. Teach your children this.

God’s agenda is our separation from the world. The Bible says, “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Eph. 5:11). And, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord, Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you” (2 Cor. 6:17). We are a “holy nation” – not on our terms, but on God’s terms (1 Pet. 2:9-10). Teach your children this.

God’s agenda is that we resist the forces of evil, not pander to them or ignore them. The “good fight of faith” must be fought when we choose entertainment for ourselves and our children (1 Tim. 6:12). The armor of God must be worn at all times, or the devil will have his way with us (Eph. 6:10-17). Teach your children this.

It saddens me to see Disney go this route. But, it does not surprise me. It is the world, doing what the world does. The world will always be antagonistic to the Lord and His will. We must love Him more than the world (1 Jno. 2:15-17). Teach your children this. 

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
 

"Watch With Me"

Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:36-38

1. The hour for which Jesus had come into the world had arrived, and Jesus’ soul was deeply troubled, Jno. 12:27 (Matt. 26:36-38).
2. “Watch with Me,” Matt. 26:36-38.

I. SPIRITUAL WATCHFULNESS REQUIRES:

  A. Sacrifice, Matt. 26:39-41. Heb. 5:7a -cf. Convenience v. conviction, Acts 24:25
  B. Submission, Matt. 26:42-43. Heb. 5:7b; Jas. 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:6 -cf. Wearing the yoke of Christ (Matt. 11:29-30)
  C. Steadfastness, Matt. 26:44. Heb. 5:8-9; 10:35-39; 12:1-3 -cf. Stony soil, Mk. 4:16-17
  D. Surrender, Matt. 26:45-46. Lk. 9:23; Gal. 2:20 -cf. “I Surrender All”

II. WE MUST BE WATCHFUL:

  A. To See and Resist Temptations, Matt. 26:41 (26:33-35, 58, 69ff). 1 Pet. 5:8; Eph. 5:15-16; Matt. 6:13.
  B. To Fulfill Our Duties as Faithful Servants of Christ, Mk. 13:32-37; Lk. 21:34-36; Matt. 25:10-13. Watchfulness is commanded of:
    1. Elders, Acts 20:31 (Heb. 13:17).
    2. Preachers, 2 Tim. 4:5.
    3. All Christians, 1 Cor. 16:13.
    4. In prayer, Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2 (1 Pet. 4:7).
    5. Against spiritual neglect, 1 Thess. 5:6.
   -Watchfulness requires self-examination and repentance, Rev. 3:2-3 (2 Jno. 8).

Conclusion
1. Jesus shows us how to watch with Him.
2. “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

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You can find the complete outline of this sermon plus PowerPoint and MP3 Audio files at BIBLE ANSWERS
 

Extreme Ownership

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:14-21

1. Jesus holds us accountable, Matt. 25:19 (24-30); 2 Cor. 5:10.
2. “It’s not what you preach, it’s what you tolerate” that matters (Extreme Ownership, by Willink and Babin). Gal. 6:7; Rom. 14:12

I. AN ELDERSHIP: “IT’S NOT WHAT YOU PREACH, IT’S WHAT YOU TOLERATE.” Titus 1:9-14; Acts 20:28-31

  A. Shepherds Protect Sheep, Eze. 34:1-4, 10.
  B. We Must Help Them, Heb. 13:7, 17.

II. A GOSPEL PREACHER: “IT’S NOT WHAT YOU PREACH, IT’S WHAT YOU TOLERATE.” 2 Tim. 4:1-5; Phil. 1:12-18

  A. The Readiness to Preach What is Needed, the Way it is Needed, When it is Needed, 4:2.
  B. The Soberness to Endure Rejection, 4:3-5.

III. IN A LOCAL CHURCH: “IT’S NOT WHAT YOU PREACH, IT’S WHAT YOU TOLERATE.”

  A. Concerning False Doctrine, Rev. 2:14-16.
  B. Concerning Immorality, 1 Cor. 5:1-2; Rev. 2:20-23 (1 Cor. 5:4-5, 13).
  C. Fellowship with Sin, Ep. 5:11; 2 Jno. 9-11.

IV. IN YOUR HOME: “IT’S NOT WHAT YOU PREACH, IT’S WHAT YOU TOLERATE.” Eph. 6:3-4; Heb. 12:5-6 (7-11)

  A. Parents, Prov. 22:6; 13:24; 19:18.
  B. Husbands and Wives, Col. 3:18-19.

Conclusion
1. Extreme ownership accepts responsibility and accountability to Christ, when He gives us our marching orders, Matt. 25:21.
2. Don’t be a finger-pointer, be a problem-solver, Gal. 6:1-5.

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NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

Continued Growth of Islam Expected
Joe R. Price

The world’s religious demographics are shifting before our eyes. “Islam is the fasting growing religion in the world, and will be the largest in the world by 2070, new research suggests. A study updated this week by the Pew Research Center titled ‘Muslims and Islam: Key findings in the US and around the world’, suggests that Islam will grow by 73 per cent by 2050, compared with only 35 per cent growth for Christianity” (“Islam Will Surpass Christianity As World’s Largest Religion By 2070, Pew Predicts,” Joseph Hartropp, christiantoday.com). By the end of this century, it is anticipated there will be more Muslims in the world than those whose professed faith is Christianity.

Of course, this study uses “Christian” in the widest sense possible (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, etc.). The Scriptures have always taught that New Testament Christians – the true disciples of Christ – are a minority when compared to the world (Matt. 7:13-14, 21-23; Lk. 13:24; Rom. 11:5). That is not why we point out this most recent study.

We note this study to remind us that Islam is not going away. We must learn about this religion, both to inoculate ourselves against its error, and to teach our children and grandchildren about its false assertions and gross distortions of God and His will for humanity. Muslims and New Testament Christians cannot coexist under a banner of ecumenical respect (2 Jno. 9-11; Gal. 1:6-10). Invented and propagated by a false prophet, promoted by false Scripture, and spread by forcing others to submit to Allah, Islam offers a false God, a false standard of truth, a false view of the world and a false hope to its adherents. The truth of the gospel will save Muslims, and they need its power of salvation (Rom. 1:16; Acts 4:12). This work will not be easy. It never is. But, Muslims need to hear of gospel salvation, too. The victory belongs to Christ and those who trust Him (Rev. 17:17; 1 Jno. 5:4). Being a Christian has never been about numbers. Let us do what we can to snatch some out of the fire (Jude 23). 

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Created by Chuck Sibbing, last updated.  03/06/2017

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