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

THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD

Volume X, Number 13 January 07, 2007

Published by

Mt. Baker
church of Christ

Location:
1860 Mt. Baker HWY
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 30821
Bellingham, WA 98228
(360) 752-2692

Sunday:
Bible Classes..........9:30 AM
Worship..10:30AM; 6:00PM
Wednesday:
Bible Classes.........7:00 PM

Web sites:
Mt. Baker church
Bible Answers

Editor......Joe R. Price

Elders
Morris Bass
Rick Holt
Joe Price

Deacons
Aaron Bass
Rich Brooks
Mike Finn
John Hague
Dan Head

In this issue:

• When You Do Not Believe in God! (Bill Crews)

  Let's Not Forget the Redemptive System! (Donnie V. Rader)

  Sermon Outlines:

  • God's Servant and How Sinners Respond (Acts 3:11-26)
  • The Tents of the Righteous #2 (Genesis 13:5-13)

  For Your Consideration Applying Matthew 6:33

When You Do Not Believe in God!
Bill Crews

1. You have no adequate cause to offer for this vast universe, for the intricacies on earth, for life, and for man. Heb. 11:3; Rom. 1:20; Gen. 1:1ff

2. You have no explanation for man’s “God-consciousness” (the universal desire of men to worship and please a supreme being), man’s moral-consciousness, man’s sense of right. Evolution offers no explanation for the origin, existence and persistence of these.

3. You have no standard by which to measure human conduct – what men (society around you) think is right or good becomes the only standard. Heb. 1:1-2; 1 John 3:4

4. You have no reason to place a high value upon human life – man is of great value only when seen as a creature of God. Naturalistic evolution makes man another animal: the Bible does not. Gen. 1:26-28

5. You have no supreme being to look to for guidance and protection. Ps. 23; 1 Pet. 3:10-12; Heb. 13:5-6

6. You have no one to thank for your many daily blessings and for life itself. Eph. 5:20; Acts 17:24-25

7. You have no judge to whom you are responsible for your behavior and to whom all other men are responsible – one who will “balance the books” and mete out justice. Jas. 4:12; Eccl. 12:13-14; Rom. 14:10, 12

8. You have no hope beyond the grave and no reason for existing now. Job 14:14; 1 Cor. 15:20-22; 2 Tim. 4:6-8

Let's Not Forget the Redemptive System!
Donnie V. Rader

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a redemptive system. By that we mean that it is a system whereby man is redeemed from his sins. In contrast, some of the preaching we hear today, even among us, has robbed the gospel of its redemptive power.

1) THE NEED FOR REDEMPTION. Man stands in need of being redeemed because of his sin. All have sinned (Rom. 3:23; 1 Jn. 5:19). Sin (which is a violation of God’s law) has consequences like the violation of any other law. Sin causes one to die spiritually. That means man is spiritually separated from his God. “Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (Jas. 1:15).“ But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Is. 59:2). “For the wages of sin is death...” (Rom. 6:23). Since our sin separates us from God, we stand in need of being redeemed.

2) WE ARE REDEEMED BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. Even a casual reading of the Old Testament will reveal that God has always demanded a blood sacrifice to atone for sin. The blood of animals could not remove sin (Heb. 10:4). However, the blood of the sinless Son of God would be the perfect sacrifice (Heb. 8 & 10; 1 Pet. 1:18-19). Why did Christ have to die? Since man sinned (which is a violation of the law), justice demands that a payment be made for the sin. Since man cannot pay the debt himself, and the blood of animals could not remove sin, then only the perfect sacrifice of Christ would atone for sin. Jesus shed His blood for the remission of our sins. “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Mt. 26:28). “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb. 9:22). “He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:26). That was the message that was preached as the apostles went forth preaching the word. They told of the Christ and how man could be saved through Him (Acts 2; 3; 8; 9; 10; 13-ff).

3) PREACHING THAT GUTS THE GOSPEL OF REDEMPTION. Any preaching that doesn’t appeal to the gospel message as the message that redeems man from his sin, has gutted the gospel of its real power. Much of the preaching in the denominational world today is a social message. Some of it sounds more political and patriotic than Biblical. Even among us (both the “liberals” and yes, even the “conservatives”) there is preaching being done that addresses more social needs than spiritual. I recognize that the Bible talks about aging and depression and human relationships. However, when our appeal in reaching out to the world is to help them with the difficulty of growing old or in having brighter days, then we have missed the redemptive system of the gospel. May we get back to the basics of preaching the old Jerusalem gospel which is a redemptive message.

Back to Basics, July 2006

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

God's Servant and How Sinners Respond

Scripture Reading: Acts 3:11-26

1. Apostolic miracles, worked by the power of God, confirmed the truth of their message:
a. Miracle: Lame man healed, Acts 3:11 (1-11).
b. Effect: Wonder, gathered, Acts 3:9-12.
c. Sermon: Explained the power (3:16) & appealed to sinners to be saved by same power (3:13-26).
2. God’s Servant Jesus & how sinners respond.

I. JESUS: GOD’S SERVANT, Acts 3:13.

A. God Sent Him to Bless You, 3:26; Isa. 42:1-4 (Matt. 12:18-21); Isa. 53:11; 52:13 (Acts 3:13; 2:33); Dan. 7:13-14; Phil. 2:8-11.
B. We Must Serve God & Man, Rom. 6:16, 20-23 (Jno. 13:12-17).

II. JESUS: DELIVERED UP & DENIED, 3:13-14 (2:23; Matt. 20:18-19).

A. Men Often Reject Christ for Sin & Error, 3:14; cf. Jno. 15:21-25; 1 Jno. 2:15.
B. Christians Deny Jesus & Deliver Him to be Crucified whenever We…
1. Carelessly eat the supper, 1 Cor. 11:27.
2. Choose to stagnant & fall away instead of grow, Heb. 6:4-6.
3. Willfully sin instead of serving righteousness, Heb. 10:26-31.

III. JESUS: THE PRINCE OF LIFE, 3:15.

A. Jesus is the Author of Eternal Life, 3:16 (4:12; 5:31); Heb. 2:10; Jno. 14:6; 17:2-3.
B. We Obtain Eternal Life by Keeping His Word, Jno. 8:51; 11:25-26 (Heb. 5:8-9).

IV. TURNING FROM SIN’S IGNORANCE TO GOD’S SALVATION, 3:17-26.

A. Ignorance not an Excuse, Ac 3:17-19, 21-26
B. Results of this Gospel Sermon, Acts 4:1-4.
-How will you allow truth affect you? (cf. Acts 3:22-23)

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

The Tents of the Righteous #2

Scripture Reading: Genesis 13:5-13

1. Review Part 1: Salvation is in the tents of the righteous (Psa. 118:15).
2. Living in tents: The nomadic life of faith (Heb. 11:8-9; 1 Pet. 2:11).

II. PITCHING TENTS (“to stretch out, extend, spread out”).

A. Some Pitch their Tent toward Sodom, Gen. 13:12 (1 Jno.2:15-17).
1. Material choice, Gen. 13:10.
2. Selfish choice, Gen. 13:11.
3. Shortsighted choice, Gen. 13:13; 2 Pet. 2:7-8.
B. Some Pitch their Tent away from Wickedness, Gen. 13:18, 14-17; Eph. 5:11-14; 2 Tim. 2:22; Psa. 84:10-12.

III. MAKING TENTS, Acts 18:3.

A. The Honor of Honest Labor, 1 Ths. 4: 11-12; 2:9; Acts 20:34-35.
B. Beware of Covetousness, Lk. 12:15-21; Matt. 16:33-34 (Eccl. 5:18-20).

IV. PUTTING OFF OUR TENTS, 2 Pet. 1:12-14.

A. We will all Die, 2 Cor. 5:1-5 (Heb. 9:27). -Are you ready to die?

Conclusion
1. What will we do while we live in our “tent” (flesh): complain (Psa. 106:24-25) or rejoice (Psa. 118:15)?
2. “The house of the wicked will be overthrown, but the tent of the upright will flourish.” (Prov. 4:11)

For Your Consideration

Applying Matthew 6:33
Joe R. Price

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33)

There are many ways to apply Matthew 6:33 to our lives. It profits us nothing to say we have faith in God if we do not make personal application of His word to our lives (Jas. 1:22-25; 2:14-16).

Here are a few practical, personal applications of this powerful statement from the Son of God. Add to this list as you examine yourself in light of God’s word of truth.

• Regularly assemble with the saints to worship God (Jno. 4:23-24; Acts 2:42; Heb. 10:24-25)
• Give purposely, cheerfully and liberally (2 Cor. 9:6-7; 1 Cor. 16:2)
• Do not be covetous (Lk. 12:15-21)
• Study God’s word often (2 Pet. 3:18; 2 Tim. 2:15)
• Be a zealous worker for Christ (1 Cor. 15:58)
• Make time for God in your life (Eph. 5:16)

Let us all increase our faith in Christ by applying His word and will to our lives.

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