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

THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD

Vol 13, Num 31, 09/05/2010

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 October 3-8, 2010

  "Let Us Eat and Drink, for Tomorrow We Die!"

  Sermon Outlines:

  • The Lord Wants You
  • The Godhead
• Noteworthy News: A "Grand Design" with No Designer

Gospel Meeting October 3-8, 2010

The Mt. Baker Church of Christ

1860 Mt. Baker Highway • Bellingham WA

Invites you to our

GOSPEL MEETING

With Evangelist

Dennis Scroggins

(Lampasas, TX)

October 3-8, 2010

Monday-Friday at 7:00 PM
Sunday, Oct 3^rd at 9:30 and 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

"Let Us Eat and Drink, for Tomorrow We Die!"
Joe R. Price

The drinker does not need much of a reason to imbibe; the siren call of the liquor continually lures him to its ruinous effects (Prov 23:35). Nevertheless, men try to support their sinful choices with rationalizations that seem plausible when not viewed through the prism of divine truth. For example, a 20-year study was just published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research which concludes “non-drinkers had the highest mortality rate at 69 percent, followed by heavy drinkers at 61 percent and moderate drinkers at 41 percent – moderate alcohol consumption is defined at one-to-three drinks a day” (“Heavy Drinkers Outlive Non-Drinkers, Study Finds”, FOXNews.com). This study says you live longer if you have one-to-three drinks a day.

Frankly, there would appear to be far too many variables in such an analysis to put much stock in its findings. Even if its research is valid, are you ready to exchange your soul’s salvation for a few more years of life on earth (Matt 16:26)? What does the Scripture say?

God’s word says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Prov 20:1). “One-to-three drinks a day” is winebibbing and is identified as sin in 1 Peter 4:3. That ought to be enough for the Bible believer who wants to live with God forever – non-drinker mortality rates notwithstanding.

Drinkers may be heard to appeal to the philosophy that it is better to “eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor 15:32). That approach to life is foolish and self-serving; it is not the attitude of one who wishes to please God.

This would be a valid philosophy for life if the dead are not raised. That is the point being made by the inspired apostle in 1 Corinthians 15:32. If there is no existence beyond the grave then “take one down and pass it around”! But, the truth is we will be raised from the dead. Therefore, how we choose to live on earth will affect our eternity, so choose wisely (1 Cor 15:20, 33-34).

This misguided philosophy was used by the ancient inhabitants of Jerusalem as God prepared judgment against them for their sins. Although God called on them to mourn and repent of their sins they reacted with “joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating meat and drinking wine: ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’” (Isa 22:12-13) Blinded by sin, they failed to see the divine punishment coming upon them (Isa 22:14).

With striking similarity many today ignore God’s warning that He will eternally punish sinners (Rom 2:5-11). People choose to “eat and drink” thinking worldly pleasure is what life is all about. They do not fear God. Forgetting the brevity of life and the certainty of death (regardless of mortality rates), these foolish ones seal their souls to eternal death through self-indulgent lives of sin (Gal 6:7-8).

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 9:10). It is wise to remember:

1) The way of the transgressor is hard (Prov 13:15). What is the advantage to a long life filled with the woe and sorrow of alcohol? (Prov 23:29-30)

2) “There is a way that seems right to men, but it ends in death” (Prov 14:12). The research of men does not nullify God’s word.

3) To love life and see good days we must refrain from evil (1 Pet 3:10-12). God defines evil, not man. When we do God’s will our lives will be blessed with good days.

“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink” (Isa 5:21-22).

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

The Lord Wants You

Scripture Reading: Luke 15:1-7

1. The Lord wants faithful servants to further His purposes here on earth (Matt 6:10):
a. To bear good fruit for Him, Jno 15:5.
b. To influence for good, Phil 2:14-16.
c. To spread His gospel to lost, Mk 16:15.
2. Jesus wants...

I. FIRST PLACE IN YOUR HEART, 1 Pet 3:15.

A. Some have No Such Room for Jesus, Lk 2:7; Jno 8:37-38, 41-47.
B. Some have too Little Room for Jesus, Mk 4:18-19.
C. Some Will Give Jesus All the Room He Wants, Phil 3:5-11; Eph 3:14-19; Gal 2:20.

II. FAITHFUL WORKERS, Matt 9:37-38; 2 Cor 5:15.

A. Jesus Wants Workers Who Will Sacrifice for Him, Jno 21:15-19; Lk 9:23-26.
B. Jesus Wants Workers Who Will Diligently Work, Rom 12:11; Heb 6:11-12; 2 Pet 1:5, 10; 3:14.
C. Jesus Wants Workers Who Will Not Compromise His Will, Jude 3; 2 Cor 11:4.

III. DEVOUT CHRISTIANS, Matt 6:24, 33.

A. Who Will Pray (1 Ths 5:17); Jas 5:16; 4:3; 1 Jno 5:14-15.
B. Who Will Use God’s Word Properly, 2 Tim 2:15; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 2 Cor 2:17; Jer 36: 23-25.
C. Live for Heaven, Phil 3:20; 1 Pet 2:11-12 (1 Pet 5:8-9; 1 Cor 10:12-13).

Conclusion

1. “Christ has no hands but our hands, to do His work today…”
2. Christ wants you; do you want Him?

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

The Godhead

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 42:5-9

1. Knowledge of God is essential for our faith and faithfulness, Gal 4:8-9; Rom 1:19.
2. God Almighty has identified Himself, Deut 6:4
3. God has revealed Himself as three persons that compose the one God (Godhead), Matt 3:16-17. (Acts 17:29; Rom 1:20; Col 2:9)

I. THE GODHEAD: Elohim (Gen 1:1, 26), YAWH (Jehovah, Exo 3:13-15).

A. The Father: God, Jno 8:42 (Rom 1:7); Jno 1:18; 17:1-2 (Matt 28:18).
B. The Son: God, Jno 8:58; Rom 9:5; Matt 1:21; Jno 1:1, 14, 18; 14:9; Col 1:15.
C. The Holy Spirit: God, Acts 5:3-4; 2 Pet 1:21; Jer 31:31 & Heb 9:15; Isa 40:13-14 & Rom 11:33-35.

II. THE UNITY OF THE GODHEAD.

A. Total and Complete Unity, Jno 10:30; Eph 4:4-6; Jno 5:19-23, 18; Heb 9:14.

III. DISTINCTIONS IN THE GODHEAD.

A. A Willing Chain of Authority Exists in Order to Accomplish Human Redemption, 1 Pet 1:2; Jno 14:28; 1 Cor 11:3; Jno 16:14; cf. Jno 1:1; 17:5; Phil 2:6; 1 Cor 15:28.
B. The Father: Authoritative Planner, Jno 17:4 (cf. Eph 1:3-4); Matt 28:18; Jno 8:16, 18
C. The Son: Executes the Father’s Will, Jno 3:35; 4:34; 9:4; Heb 2:9-10 (Matt 20:28).
D. The Holy Spirit: Comforter, Revealer, Confirmer and Sanctifier, Jno 14:16-17; 16: 13; 15:26; 2 Ths 2:13 (1 Pet 1:2; Jno 17:17).

IV. WHAT THIS MEANS TO US.

A. Our Faith Must be Put in the True and Living God for the Salvation of our Souls, Acts 14:15; Jno 8:23-24; Heb 11:6.
B. We must Love the Lord Completely, for He Alone is God, Matt 22:37.
C. We Must Put Our Trust in the Everlasting God, Isa 40:27-31; Jno 14:1-6.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

A "Grand Design" with No Designer
Joe R. Price

In his soon to be published book, “The Grand Design”, world-renown scientist Stephen Hawking says physics and not a creator is the cause of the universe’s existence. According to one news article, Hawking “sets out to contest Sir Isaac Newton’s belief that the universe must have been designed by God as it could not have been created out of chaos” (“Stephen Hawking says universe not created by God”, by Adam Gabbatt, The Guardian, guardian.co.uk). According to Hawking:

“Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing," he writes. “Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist.

"It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going.” (Ibid)

I would not presume to comprehend the mathematics and physics understood by such a renowned scientist. But, if the laws of gravity existed when the universe spontaneously created itself, then doesn’t that mean something existed before the universe? Where did the gravity and its laws come from that produced this phenomenon? It would seem that Hawking’s sweeping proclamation that the “grand design” was some “law such as gravity” is not grounded in simple logic. Even an unsophisticated person like me can grasp that a “grand design” shows the existence of a designer.

Perhaps some will say we do not have to understand physics or “spontaneous creation” – just rely on the genius of folks like Stephen Hawking to tell us about it.

Yet, nothing comes from nothing. We prefer the wisdom of God that says “every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God” (Heb 3:4).

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows He handiwork” (Psa 19:1). God designed and created the universe, gravity and its laws.

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