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

THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD

Vol 13, Num 11, 04/18/2010

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
All sing last Wednesday

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:

• Gospel Meeting April 25-30, 2010

  Fellowship: Is it Based on Emotional Ties? (Dennis L. Scroggins)

  Sermon Outlines:

  • Why are there Different Churches of Christ? (Psalm 133)
  • Thy Kingdom Come (The Kingdom of God in Luke) (Luke 24:44-49)

  Noteworthy News: Fire in the Sky

Gospel Meeting April 25-30, 2010

The Mt. Baker Church of Christ

1860 Mt. Baker Highway • Bellingham WA

Invites you to our

GOSPEL MEETING

With Evangelist

Tom Roberts

(Mansfield, TX)

Theme: Renewing our Minds

April 25-30, 2010

Monday-Friday at 7:00 PM

Sunday, April 25^th at 9:30 & 10:30 AM; 6:00 PM

(From I-5 take Exit # 255 and go East 4.2 miles)

For more information please call (360) 752-2692

Fellowship: Is it Based on Emotional Ties?
Dennis L. Scroggins

Why are we having a problem with the subject of fellowship in the church? “Isn’t fellowship just a matter of opinion, because after all we don’t all agree on everything, do we?” “It just seems to me that many are just following party lines and are very arbitrary when it comes to who they decide should be fellowshipped today!”

These kinds of statements and articles that lend themselves to gobbledygook, mental gymnastics, and fuzzy arguments are brought to us today by the prevailing winds of change that work to undermine the direct force of the scriptures.

We should grant that truth never be decided by party lines, and that how many are on one’s side rarely ever establishes them as being the ones having the truth, or at least it never should be a contest of who can get the most on their side by which they determine truth and error.

1 John 1:7 clearly teaches that fellowship is first and foremost between God and man, and the fellowship that is maintained in that verse is not talking about fellowship with fellow Christians. It is a grave error to somehow generate a doctrine from this verse that teaches fellowship is to be maintained based on how much we like each other.

If someone is not in fellowship with God, then I cannot be in fellowship with them. The maintaining of fellowship with darkness is condemned in Ephesians 5:1-11. 2 John 9-11 establishes this truth of the gospel, because it points to the fact that one is not even to give a greeting (salutation) to those that go along with those in error.

Because of this strict attitude toward Fellowship which is taught in the scriptures we find ourselves being marked as narrow minded, trouble makers, factious men and women, those that have left the faith because they have put brethren out of the church.

We can see how easy and popular it is to write an article about fellowship that tends to let Christians off the hook in regard to this subject. No one seems to like to do discipline in the church, and no one likes to be the one “pouring cold water” on the local fellowship. After all, aren’t we all Brethren?

It sometimes appears by the writings of some of our Brethren that if only that family had not reported to Paul what they did about the church in Corinth, then there wouldn’t have been a problem that Paul would have to address in 1 Corinthians 5.

Those that advocate “open fellowship” are many, but the way they advocate it sometimes is not very obvious. Christians need to test the spirits (attitudes) to see if what they are hearing is really sound, or just a subtle lie used to deceive the hearts of the innocent. Romans 16:17-18

Fellowship is based on what we do know, not what we don’t know. We may well be attending services with someone that is living like the devil, but that doesn’t mean that if we find out about their actions that we continue to maintain fellowship that God does not recognize anymore. How can we judge such matters? Consider in your Bible Luke 12:51-57 and judge with righteous judgment. Jesus said, “and why of your own selves do you not judge what is right?”

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

Why are there Different Churches of Christ?

Scripture Reading: Psalm 133

1. Unity is a spiritual blessing, Psa 133:1-3.
2. Why are there different churches of Christ?

I. CHRIST AND THE CHURCHES.

A. Christ is Sovereign, Rev 1:10-11.
B. Christ Walks among and Knows the Churches, Rev 1:13, 20; 2:2, 9.
C. Since Christ does not have Fellowship with Sin and Error, how can We and Please Him? Rev 2:5, 16; 3:1-3, 15-16; 2 Jno 9-11

II. SOME CHURCHES ARE PRACTICING SIN AND ERROR, Rev 2:1, 4-5.

A. Corrupted the Organization, Work, and Worship of the Local Church.
B. Corrupted Morality, Eph 5:1-7.

III. SOME CHURCHES ARE BINDING OPINIONS, Matt 15:7-9; cf. Rom 14:1-3.

IV. SOME CHURCHES WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE (2 Tim. 4:3-4; Gal. 1:6-10; 2 Jno. 9-11), cf. Rev 2:14-16.

A. On Bible Authority (Acts 15:6-21).
B. On Contending for the Faith, Jude 3.
C. On Preaching the Whole Counsel of God, Acts 20:27 (20).

V. SOME CHURCHES ARE EXTENDING FELLOWSHIP TO THOSE WHO TEACH ERROR / PRACTICE SIN.

A. Some Accept Christians Who Remain in Sin, 1 Cor 5:1-2, 13.
B. Some Refuse Faithful Christians who Teach and Live the Truth, 3 Jno 9-10.
C. Some Tolerate Error and Refuse to Rebuke It, Rev 2:20-23.

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

Thy Kingdom Come (The Kingdom of God in Luke)

Scripture Reading: Luke 24:44-49

1. Luke uses “kingdom” 45 times; He portrays Jesus as fulfilling the prophetic pronouncements of the Messiah’s kingdom, Lk 12:31-32.
2. The kingdom of prophecy is the kingdom of the gospel (the church), Matt 16:18-19. (Lk 11:2 – Fulfilled)

I. KING IS BORN OF A VIRGIN.

Isa 7:14; 9:6-7 –Virgin bear a son; Throne of David—Luke 1:30-35

II. THE KING ON HIS THRONE.

2 Sam 7:13 –Throne, Sovereign Rule—Luke 1:32-33
Psa 2:6-7 –Power—Luke 22:67-70
Psa 110:1 –Exalted; Right hand of God—Luke 24:51 (Acts 2:33-36)

III. KINGDOM IS PREACHED.

Isa 2:2-3 –Preached—Luke 4:43; 8:1; 9:2, 11, 60; 16:16

IV. NATURE OF THE KINGDOM.

Isa 2:4; 11:3-5, 6-9 –Peace, Right. Unity, Knowledge—Luke 6:20; 17:20-21; 18:1-17

V. COMPOSED OF ALL NATIONS.

Isa 11:10-12 –All People—Luke 13:18, 20

VI. WHEN THE KINGDOM WOULD COME

Dan 2:44-45 –Time—Luke 2:1-2; 3:1-2; 9:27 (10:9, 11; 11:20); Lk 21:31-33 (25-28)

VII. FULFILLED IN THE KINGDOM.

Exo 12:7-13 –Passover—Luke 22:15-18
Zech 12:10; 13:1 –Death (Memorial)—Luke 22:19-20

NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

Fire in the Sky
Joe R. Price

A meteor lit up the sky over the Midwest Wednesday night, April 14 (see video online). Although the streaking rock from outer space was probably the size of a human fist, night was turned to day for a few seconds by the enormous fire caused by its entry into earth’s atmosphere. Like lightning, it was quite visible.

This reminds us of the prophetic, apocalyptic description of the Son of Man’s judgment against sinful Jerusalem for rejecting the Messiah. There would be no mistaking His presence when Jesus executed His judgment against the city by using the Roman army (Lk 17:37): “For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day” (Lk 17:24). It would be “the day the Son of Man is revealed” (Lk 17:30; cf. Matt 24:27-28). The fall of Jerusalem was a sign that the Son of Man is reigning in heaven (Matt 24:29-31). Like lightning, His power was visible.

Another day of judgment is coming. On that day the heavens themselves will be on fire (2 Pet 3:12). There will be no mistake; the Son of Man will descend in His glory to judge the world, executing punishment and reward (2 Ths 1:7-10).

A fiery meteor in the heavens declares the glory of God (Psa 19:1). The wonder of such a sight causes us to remember that “our God is a consuming fire” and get ready to meet our God by reverently serving Him (Heb 12:28-29).

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