3 The Spirit's Sword

April 13, 1997 Northside church of Christ · 5201 NW RD · Bellingham, WA Volume 1.9

The Spirit's Sword

Honestly Speak The Truth

_Honesty is characteristic of a disciple of Jesus. No one has ever lived who surpassed His honesty. From Him we learn the essence of integrity and truthfulness.

Jesus is the Truth (Jn. 14:6). Not only is He the true way to the Father, His every word was spoken in honesty and truth (Jn. 8:26, 46). Likewise, we must honestly speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:25, 15).

Jesus spoke the truth about Himself (Jn. 8:14). When some men write of themselves it has to be filtered through the seine honesty for accuracy, but not the words of Jesus. Nothing that He said about Himself was exaggerated, overstated, misleading or embellished. Can that be said of the things we say of ourselves?

Jesus honestly spoke the truth about sin (cf. Lk. 13:2-3). He spoke with candor about the presence and power of sin. He did not sugarcoat the danger of sin when speaking to sinners (Jn. 8:31-44). He also spoke with compassion of those held in its clutches (Lk. 7:44-50). When the rottenness of sin needed exposing, He did not keep silent (Matt. 23).

Jesus honestly spoke the truth about the church (Matt. 16:18). Some congregations of our day do not want to identify themselves as a “church of Christ” to avoid some prejudice against the church. Jesus, however, did not refuse to speak of His church, even when His life was at stake (Jn. 18:33-37). Why shouldn’t we be just as honest able His church as He was?

Jesus honestly spoke the truth about the future (Jn. 16:2-4). He spoke of death, resurrection and judgment (Jn. 5:28-29). He told His disciples of hardships and of the joys and rewards of faithfulness (Jn. 13:36-14:3). We must honestly speak of the future to all men, too (Jn. 12:48; Rom. 2:1-11). -jrp

Assignments: Sunday, April 13

Announcements: Dan Torres

Opening Prayer:Dan Torres / Rusty McGrew

Closing Prayer: Aaron Bass / C. Gardner

Song Leader: Rusty McGrew / Rick Holt

Scripture: Gary Bass / Shane Bass

Lord’s Supper: Parker/ Humphrey/ M. Bass

Building Cleanup (Apr. 19): J. & C. Bass

· Remember the sick: Marietta Ashton (home from surgery), Mackie DeWispelaere, Barbara Melton (surgery next Thursday), Connie Gardner’s mother, Beulah Walker (shut-in).

· The Frahm’s are moving to Portland. We are sad to see David, Danielle and Katie Frahm move away from us. We pray all will go smoothly for them as they arrange their move to Portland, OR.

· Tim and Simona Beckley and family left for Douglas, AZ on Thursday. We pray they will have a safe trip and all will go well for them as they settle into their new life there.

· Gospel effort in Lithuania. Joe Price will go to Kaunas, Lithuania April 23-May 16 for three weeks of gospel work in that city. Please pray for the gospel there.

· Going out of town this week: Keith Alsobrook and Dan Torres.

SERVICE SCHEDULE

Sunday: 9:30 & 10:30 AM; 6:00 PM

Wednesday: 7:00 PM

Corporal Punishment

_An adoption agency located on the east coast requires its clients to sign a statement promising not to use corporal punishment (spanking, or as they define it, “the inflicting of pain or discomfort”) to correct the child they will adopt. Their statement reads in part, “...this agency firmly believes that the use of corporal punishment is neither an acceptable nor a useful tool for teaching or correcting a child of any age. There is significant potential for physical or emotional harm to a child through this practice.”

This is a clear example of the conflict in society between the wisdom of men and the wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1:19-20). When properly used, corporal punishment......

1. Is a useful tool for teaching and correcting a child. “He that spareth his rod hateth his son; But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (diligently, jrp)” (Prov. 13:24). God says corporal punishment shows the parent’s love for his child. “Chasten thy son, seeing there is hope; And set not thy heart on his destruction” (Prov. 19:18).

2. Does not cause lasting physical harm. “Without not correction from the child; For if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die” (Prov. 23:13). “All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12:11).

3. Does not cause lasting emotional harm. “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; But the rod of correction shall drive it far from him” (Prov. 22:15). “The rod and reproof give wisdom; But a child left to himself causeth same to his mother” (Prov. 29:15). God knows best! -jrp

Sending Forth Laborers

"Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest indeed in plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest." - Matthew 9:37-38

The need for laborers in the work of harvesting souls is undeni­able. So is the fact that every Christian, according to his or her abilities and opportunities, is to be a laborer reaping souls in God's harvest (Acts 8:4).

The truth is that many Christians need to repent of a lack of work in this area. We need to rededicate our hearts and focus our atten­tion on trying to reach the lost with the gospel of Christ. We sing, "To the work, to the work!" but often we live "Let somebody else work!" With this in mind, let me offer some brief encouragement that may help us "go into the fields."

We must believe that good can be accomplished. If the sower had not believed that a crop would grow he would not have gone "forth to sow his seed" (Lk. 8:5). If Jesus had not been convinced that good would result from coming to earth and dying on the cross, we would have no means of being saved. This boils down to a matter of faith on our part. We must trust that the Lord will bless the sending forth of His word. "So shall my word...not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isa. 55:11).

We must be willing to give our resources to the work. I am not talking about money here. I am talking about things like our time, our energy, our prayers. We have to be willing to make time to visits pros­pects, to arrange Bible classes with them, and to study the Bible in order to equip ourselves to teach them. The demands upon your time will grow when you commit yourself to spreading the gospel. This also means expending our energy toward that goal. After a full day's work most of us are tired and could use some rest. But remember the energy of the apostle Paul as he worked night and day to meet his physical needs while also being diligent to fully teach the word of God (1 Ths. 2:9; Acts 20:19-21, 26-27). One will have to sacrifice his comfort in order to “go into the fields.”

We must be willing to let God give the increase of souls (1 Cor. 3: 6). It can be discouraging when one is repeatedly told "no, I am not inter­est­ed" while trying to teach the gospel. It may feel as if you are the one being rejected, but do not take it personal. In fact, it is God and Christ whom people reject (1 Sam. 8:7; Jn. 6:60, 66). We must constantly remember that our job is to plant the seed. Do not become discouraged when someone is not interest­ed, when progress seems too slow, or when it may appear that nothing is being accomplished. Something is being accomplished! The word of God is being spread abroad! Satan loves to discour­age those who do the Lord's work! As the apostle has exhorted, "And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Gal. 6:9). Remember, it is the Lord's harvest, not ours (Matt. 9:38).

In Matthew 9:35-38, Jesus saw the straying multitudes and was moved to compassion for them. Their need compelled Him to work. Likewise, He calls upon us to be conscious of the condition of the people around us (that they are lost in sin); to have compassion for them (distressed to the point of action); and then to be committed laborers in His harvest (praying and working). The work is before us. The call to labor is clear. Will we, with Isaiah say, "Here am I, send me?" -Joe Price