THE SPIRIT'S SWORD
Published by
Mt. Baker church of Christ
Bellingham, WA (1860 Mt. Baker HWY)
(360) 752-2692

Editor/Evangelist Joe R. Price
Volume IX, Number 27
March 19, 2006
"All material is written by Joe R. Price, unless otherwise noted."

Times of services:

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

Wednesday:
Bible Classes..........7:00 PM

Web sites:
Mt. Baker church of Christ
Bible Answers

"...Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers..." (1 Peter 5:2)
Elders
Morris Bass, Rick Holt , Joe Price

"...let them serve as deacons, being found blameless..." (1 Tim. 3:10)
Deacons
Aaron Bass, Rich Brooks, Mike Finn
John Hague, Dan Head

"And take...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17)

In this issue:

• Gospel Meeting March 26-31, 2006
• "A Challenge to You" (Steven J. Wallace)

  Sermon Outlines:

  • A Striking Contrast: NT Christianity vs. Man-made Counterfeits (Galatians 1:6-12)
  • Turning the Hearts of Fathers & Their Children to Each Other (Proverbs 3:1-12)

  Noteworthy News: Headline Ruminations

Gospel Meeting March 26-31, 2006

THE MT. BAKER
CHURCH OF CHRIST
(1860 Mt. Baker Highway, Bellingham, WA)

Invites you to our

GOSPEL MEETING

with Evangelist

Steven j. wallace

(Sunnyside & Yakima, WA)

March 26–31, 2006

Monday-Friday: 7:00 PM
(Sunday: 9:30 & 10:30 AM, 6:00 PM)

Sunday:

9:30 AM: 2 Timothy 2:15
10:30 AM: Some Things We Cannot Escape
6:00 PM: Some Things We Can Escape

Monday: Commitment
Tuesday: Satan
Wednesday: Depression
Thursday: Gossipers
Friday: God's Plan for Saving Man

(From I-5 take Exit # 255 and go East 4.2 miles)
more information: please call (360) 752-2692

"A Challenge to You"
Steven J. Wallace

The Bible is full of challenges that have been issued out by both good and evil men. Goliath stood before the armies of Israel and challenged them saying:

“Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. . . .” (1 Sam. 17:8-9)

David answered that challenge and destroyed the enemy of Israel. On the other hand, the great prophet Elijah challenged the people of Israel to make a choice by crying out:

“‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word” (1 Kin. 18:21)

In that spirit we lay forth a challenge for you in the hopes that you will not sit by and “answer not a word.”

A challenge to investigate God. Please do not misunderstand, this is not a challenge to investigate what men, churches, or what some religious leader may say about God. We challenge you to investigate the God of the Bible with your own eyes. Only here the original picture of God remains without human distortions. “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God. . .” (Rom. 11:22). If you are young, realized there is no better time to investigate God than in your youth before you begin to make decisions that will affect your life. First learn Christ who owns and gives you your life! “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’” (Eccl. 12:1)

A challenge to investigate the one faith of the New Testament. Do not accept the various world religions of Islam, Hindu, and Buddhism, as being of God. Neither accept the divided and contradictory religious world of so-called Christendom as being something that is from God. Such didn’t exist in the time of Christ. Approximately 2000 years ago a man named Jesus of Nazareth, was put to death as a criminal, though he had done many wonderful deeds. It was predetermined by God that he should die and be resurrected (Acts 2:23, 24). If Jesus did in fact resurrect from the dead, then he is certainly God. One correctly observed, “for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (Jn. 3:2). His resurrected person was seen by many witnesses, even by 500 people at one time (1 Cor. 15:6). Followers of Christ at this time were only called Christians. “One name. . .one faith!” They were not “hyphenated Christians” as so many suggest they are today. Will you investigate the “one faith” of first-century Christians (Eph. 4:5)?

A challenge to investigate the church of Christ. Just as sure as Jesus resurrected from the dead, he established his one true church, “. . .I will build My church” (Matt. 16:18). It began in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1ff). It was built by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28). Its law came from Jerusalem, not New York, Switzerland, or even Mt. Sinai as some suggest (Is. 2:3; Jer. 31:31-34; Acts 2). We challenge you to find where it wears a name that gives honor to a method (i.e., Methodist), an eldership/presbytery (Presbyterian); a day (Seventh - Day Adventist; Pentecost), or any other concept, doctrine or person (Grace Dispensational, Baptist, Free Will, Saint Paul’s Catholic, etc.). We challenge you to be content with those designations found in the Bible: “church of God” (1 Cor. 1:2); church of Christ (Rom. 16:16); “church of the Firstborn” (Heb. 12:23), etc. Will you investigate the church of Christ?

You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS

A Striking Contrast: NT Christianity vs. Man-made Counterfeits

Scripture Reading: Galatians 1:6-12

1. Bible pattern for NT Christianity, Rom. 6:17-18; 2 Ths. 2:15; Must hold to it, 2 Tim. 1:13.

2. Comparing man-made counterfeits to the New Testament pattern makes a striking contrast between NT Christianity & man-made counterfeits (Col. 2:22; Jno. 17:17), Galatians 1:11-12.

NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY

Christ: Founder of the church (Matt. 16:18)

One body, one faith, one baptism (Eph. 4:4-6)

Christ has ALL authority (Matt. 28:18; Col. 3:17)

Wear the name Christian (Isa. 62:2; Acts 11:26; 1 Pet. 4:16)

Scriptural name for church (Rom. 16:16)

Preach only one gospel (Jude 3; Gal. 1:8-10; Acts 20:27)

Bible remains same (Matt. 24:35; 1 Pet. 1:23-25)

Lord adds saved to His church (Acts 2:47)

Sound doctrine essential to salvation (1 Tim. 4:16; 6:3; 2 Tim. 1:13; 3:16)

All Christians are priests (1 Pet. 2:5, 9)

God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34-35)

Plurality of elders (pastors) over each church (Acts 14:23; 20:17; Eph. 4:11; 1 Pet. 5:1-2)

“Faith without works is dead” (Jas. 2:20, 26)

“You have fallen from grace” (Gal. 5:4)

Lord’s Supper each Lord’s Day (Acts 2:42; 20:7)

Baptism is immersion in water (Rom. 6:3-5)

Baptize repentant believers (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38)

Baptized “into Christ” / into His spiritual body, the church (Gal. 3:26-27; 1 Cor. 12:13)

Live soberly, righteously & godly (Tit. 2:11-12; Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Jno. 2:15-17)

Conclusion: NT is possible, practical & powerful today, 1 Jno. 1:7; Matt. 11:28-30; Prov. 14:12; Jer. 10:23.

You can find the complete outline of this sermon at BIBLE ANSWERS

Turning the Hearts of Fathers & Their Children to Each Other

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 3:1-12

1. The need for godly fathers & respectful children has always been great.
2. Reciprocal, complimentary, Eph. 6:1-4.
3. Hearts of fathers & children must turn to God & each other or God’s judgment will surely strike (cf. Mal. 4:6).

I. TURNING HEARTS: A MATTER OF CONVERTED HEARTS.

A. The Heart: Will & Affection.
1. Includes affections, character & commitment.
2. Both agape & phileo toward their children (cf. the Father & Son, Jno. 3:35; 5:20).
B. Hearts Ready to Repent (Acts 26:20); Lk. 1:17
C. Hearts Ready to Seek & Give Forgiveness, cf. Lk. 15:18-22.

II. TURNING THE HEARTS OF FATHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN (Gen. 18:19).

A. Do Not Provoke to Wrath (exasperate, discourage), Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21).
1. Unrealistic demands/expectations, 2 Cor. 8:12; Matt. 25:15.
2. Favoritism, Gen. 25:27-28; 27:41; 37:4.
3. Fail to discipline, Prov. 3:12; 29:15,17 (20:30).
B. Nurture your Children, Eph. 6:4; 1 Ths. 2:10-11; 1 Cor. 4:14-16; Eph. 5:16; Judg. 13:8; 2 Cor. 12:14.

III. TURNING THE HEARTS OF CHILDREN TO THEIR FATHERS.

A. Hearts that Listen to Father, Prov. 1:8-9; 7:24.
B. Hearts that Learn from Father, Prov. 4:1-7, 10-13, 20-22 (Prov. 29:3; 3 Jno. 4).
C. Hearts that Live Father’s Instruction, Prov. 3:1-2, 21-26 (Jno. 8:29, 55); Eph. 6:1.
D. Hearts that will Respect Parents, Eph. 6:2; Jno. 8:26-29; Prov. 30:11-14, 17 (20:20); Exo. 21:17 (Prov. 28:24).

NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

Headline Ruminations
Joe R. Price

US reports two more deaths after abortion pill (Reuters)
-Did I miss something, or isn’t there a death every time the abortion pill is used? (Psa. 127:3; Rom. 13:9)

Psychics to try contacting Lennon in TV séance (Reuters)
-Do you suppose if they could contact John Lennon he would tell them it’s easy to “imagine there’s no heaven” and “no hell” now? (Matt. 25:46; Rom. 2:1-11)

Senate OKs increased debt ceiling (CNNMoney.com)
-The Lord has removed the debt ceiling on loving one another (Rom. 13:8).

Wildfires burn on in Texas and Okla. (AP)
-The tongue is a powerful force: see how great a “prairie” a little fire kindles! (Jas. 3:5)

Great Lakes gray wolves no longer endangered (Reuters)
-Too bad the two-legged wolves are not on the endangered species list! (Matt. 7:15; 10:16; Acts 20:29)

Astronomers Detect First Split-Second of the Universe (space.com)
-Bible believers discovered the first split-second of the universe long ago: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).

The Spirit's Sword is a free, weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA
Send all questions, comments and subscriptions to the editor at: ssword@bibleanswer.com