The Spirit’s Sword, April 12, 2015

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

THE
SPIRIT’S
SWORD

Volume 17, Number 40
04/12/2015

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

Deacons
Aaron Bass
Rich Brooks
Mike Finn
Dan Head

In this issue:

Gospel Meeting April 26 - May 1, 2015
"It's a Miracle!"
Sermon Outlines:
- Overtaken in Any Trespass
- Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
Noteworthy News: Numbers

Gospel Meeting April 26 - May 1, 2015

The Mt. Baker
Church of Christ

1860 Mt. Baker Highway • Bellingham WA

Invites you to our

GOSPEL MEETING

With Evangelist

Jesse Flowers
(Baytown, Texas)

April 26 - May 1, 2015

Monday-Friday at 7:00 PM
Sunday, April 26^th at 9:30 and 10:30 AM; 6:00 PM

Hear these gospel lessons:

Sunday Class: How to Find Contacts and Initiate Studies
Sunday AM: Are You Dull of Hearing?
Sunday PM: A Message to Young People
Monday: Your Funeral Service
Tuesday: The Effects of Entertainment
Wednesday: The Perfect Church
Thursday: Does This Offend You?
Friday: The Race Set Before Us

Bring your Bible and join us in learning God’s word and will for our lives!

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

"It's a Miracle!"
Joe R. Price

The English language does not always lend itself to precision. For example, we "love" ice cream (Blue Bell, of course!), we "love" our spouse and we "love" God. One word (love) is used for three types of love. Sometimes we exaggerate for effect, and sometimes we just do not understand the proper definition of the words we choose.

Take the word "miracle", for example. Many are inclined to describe anything they cannot otherwise explain as a "miracle". The event may indeed be exceptional, extraordinary and even inexplicable from our perspective. But, we wish to use the word "miracle" as the Bible uses it ("speak as the oracles of God", 1 Pet. 4:11). To do so we need to learn what a miracle is and how the word is used in the Scriptures. Then we can determine whether miracles occur today.

Miracles are defined as "works of a supernatural origin and character, such as could not be produced by natural agents and means…” (Vine). Thus, the natural birth of a child, while wondrous indeed, is not a miracle. [An important point must be made here. We affirm God answers prayer, but He does so by His overriding providence in the natural world. God uses natural "agents and means", not supernatural intervention, to answer our prayers (Jas. 5:16-18; Matt. 7:11; Rom. 8:28). To refuse present-day miracles is not a denial that God answers prayer.]

A triplet of words are used in Acts 2:22 and Hebrews 2:4 to describe these supernatural works. First, the word "miracles" means "power, ability, might", indicating their origin is God (Acts 10:38; 3:12). Second, "wonders" describes the effect miracles had on those who saw them. They caused astonishment and attracted attention (Acts 3:9-11). Third, these wondrous powers were "signs" of God's presence and evidence of divine approval (Jno. 3:2; 9:32-33).

The miracles of which we speak were worked through the agency of human beings. God granted miraculous powers to men and women - apostles and those on whom they laid their hands to impart miraculous spiritual gifts (Acts 2:17, 4; 8:14-17; 19:6). These are the only people in the New Testament who had miraculous powers. When the apostles died and those who received miraculous powers from them died, the power to work miracles passed from the earth. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 explains their purposes were accomplished, therefore, they ended.)

There were three God-given purposes for the apostolic age miracles. First, revelation of the gospel. The Holy Spirit miraculously guided the apostles into "all truth" (Jno. 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10; Eph. 3:3-5). Second, the inspiration to faithfully speak and write God's word (Matt. 10:19-20; 1 Cor. 2:13). And third, to give confirmation that the gospel being preached was from heaven and not men (Mk. 16:20). Because the New Testament is complete ("all truth") there is no new revelation today. No miracles are needed to reveal it, inspire it and confirm it. Those who claim to work miracles are offering deceptive signs and lying wonders as did Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:6-13; cf. 2 Thess. 2:9).

Yes, God works in this world, providing for all humanity while answering the prayers of His people (Matt. 5:45; 7:7-11; Acts 14:17; Heb. 4:16). But, the age of miracles being worked through the agency of humans has ended. If not, then what new revelation must now be inspired and confirmed so it can be added to the Bible? There is none. Let us be careful to use the word "miracle" scripturally.

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

Overtaken in Any Trespass

Scripture Reading: Galatians 6:1-5

1. The church of Jesus Christ is a body in which all members are to have the same care for each other, 1 Cor. 12:25.
2. We must know how to behave in the house of God when a brother or sister sins, 1 Tim. 3:15; Gal. 6:1-5.

I. IF A PERSON IS OVERTAKEN IN ANY TRESPASS.

A. It is Plain that Sin has Occurred, 6:1 (Jas. 5:19); Matt. 5:23-24; 18:15.
B. You Who are Spiritual have Work to do, 6:1; Gal. 5:16-18, 24-26; 2 Cor. 2:14-15; Rom. 8:5-8; Jas. 5:19; Heb. 4:12; Psa. 119:105; 1 Thess. 5:14 (cf. CPR).
C. Restore the Sinner, 6:1; Jas. 5:20.
D. In a Spirit of Gentleness (meek consideration), 6:1, 3-4; Gal. 5:23.
1. Considering yourself (gentleness contains consideration), 1 Cor. 10:12
2. Considering the fallen one, Jas. 5:19-20 (Lk. 18:11-12; Matt. 5:7; Jno. 8:4-8, 11).

II. BEAR ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS, Gal. 6:2-4.

A. Burdens: The Problems that Attend Sin, 6:2; 2 Cor. 2:4-5, 6-8.
B. To Fulfill the Law of Christ, 2 Cor. 2:9; Jno. 13:34-35.
C. Additional Purposes, 6:3-4.

III. BEAR YOUR OWN BURDEN, Gal. 6:5.

A. Responsibility to try to Save Lost Christian, Heb. 3:7-8, 12-13.

Conclusion
The snare of sin can be broken by helping to restore those entangled in sin.

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

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

Scripture Reading: Romans 13:8-10

1. A lot of talk about how Jesus would love others today (specifically, toward LGBT).
2. What are Christians supposed to do to love our neighbors? Matt. 22:39

I. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF MEANS HAVING THEIR BEST INTEREST IN WHATEVER WE DO TOWARD THEM, Matt. 5:43-48.

A. Even When They Do Not Love Us, 5:44, 10-12; 1 Pet. 3:8-9, 13, 17.
B. Do Not Retaliate with Evil, Matt. 5:38-42.

II. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF MEANS USING YOUR OPPORTUNITIES TO TEACH THEM THE TRUTH.

A. Loving Neighbors does not Mean Isolating Ourselves from Society, 1 Cor. 5:9-10; Eph. 5:8-11.
B. Loving Neighbors does not Mean being a Moral Chameleon, 1 Cor. 9:22; 15:33-34; 1 Pet. 4:3-4.
C. When Jesus Interacted with Sinners He Taught them the Truth and Called them to Repentance, Mk. 2:13-17; Matt. 9:11-13.
D. Jesus did not Conduct Himself in Any Way that Caused Sinners to Think He was OK with their Sin; Lk. 15:1-2, 7; Jno. 8:11.
E. "Have I Become Your Enemy Because I Tell You the Truth?" Gal. 4:16
F. Tolerating Sin is not Loving Neighbor, 2 Jno. 10-11. Prov. 27:5-6; Matt. 5:13.

III. LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF MEANS CONTINUING TO LOVE EVEN WHEN YOU ARE REJECTED BY UNBELIEVERS, Heb. 12:3. (1 Cor. 13:8)

Conclusion
Keep loving when hated, Jno. 15:18-20.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Current events in the light of Scripture)

Numbers
Joe R. Price

One research firm projects that at current rates, by the year 2050 there will be nearly as many Muslims in the world as reported Christians. Islam is already the fastest growing religion in the world (Report: Islam is World's Fastest Growing Religion, Amanda Casanova, April 7, 2015, christianheadlines.com).

Disciples of Jesus refuse to get caught up in trusting large numbers or in becoming fearful when numbers are few. Two occasions from the Old Testament impress this truth upon hearts of faith.

First, Gideon defeated the Midianite army with just 300 men. "And the Lord said to Gideon, The people are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me saying, 'My own hand has saved me'" (Judg. 7:2). Beginning with 32,300 Israelites, God reduced their number to 300 and then defeated an army of about 135,000 (Judg. 7:7, 12, 22; 8:10). Though the faithful in the Lord are few, in Christ they are mighty and victory in assured (2 Cor. 10:3-6; Eph. 6:10-13; Rev.2:10; 3:4-5). Do not lose heart even when few remain true to the Lord; our hope is in Almighty God whose purposes always prevail.

Second, David took a census of Israel that "displeased" the Lord and He "struck Israel" (1 Chron. 21:7; 24:27). Although David repented of his foolish and faithless act, 70,000 died by God's three-day plague (1 Chron. 21:14; 2 Sam. 24:10-15). David had 1.3 million fighting men at his disposal, yet they were no match for the one true God (2 Sam. 24:9). Christians and churches who trust they are sound and safe in the Lord due to their size have a misplaced confidence which fails to secure them in the Lord.

Refusing to base our faith in numbers is not a reason to become complacent or careless. We must remain aggressive in our devotion to the Lord. God saves us, not numbers. Jonathan, the son of king Saul, reminds us why we put our trust in the Lord and not in numbers: "For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few" (1 Sam. 14:6).

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

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