In This Issue

• A MEMORIAL AND A FORECAST
• LOOK FOR THE LOWEST SEAT
• CHRISTIAN
• HOW TO REMAIN FAITHFUL
• MORE INFORMATION...

A MEMORIAL AND A FORECAST

As Jesus and His apostles were eating their last Passover together, "Jesus took bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat, this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." (Matt. 26:26-30).

Thus Matthew records the institution of the Lord’s supper. The Passover feast had been ordained by God for the Hebrew nation to commemorate the occasion of the last plague in Egypt when God passed over the Israelites as He passed through the land to slay the firstborn among the Egyptians. Though the Israelites didn’t know it, the Passover also looked forward to the time when God would provide a sacrifice that would end all sacrifices -- Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, John 1:36; 1 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 9:28.

Likewise, the Lord’s supper looks back to the sacrificial death of Jesus -- and forward to His coming again, 1 Cor. 11:26. Christians assemble to physically take the elements of the Lord’s supper as the original participants did when it was instituted. Our Lord takes it new with us, spiritually, so that in regular observance of that memorial supper, Christians are having communion with Jesus Himself, 1 Cor. 10:26.

Just as the Old Testament feasts -- Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles, etc. -- had a set time to be observed, Jesus likewise indicated that there would be a certain DAY when His followers would partake of His supper. On that day, He takes it with them in a new manner. Both history and Scripture make known that the day for the observance of the Lord’s supper is Sunday, the first day of the week, or Lord’s day. In Acts 20:7, the Bible shows that it was the practice of the early church under the direction of the inspired apostles and prophets, to assemble on the first day of the week "to break bread." A comparison of 1 Cor. 11:20-33 with chapter 16:1-3 will show that the practice of the church in Corinth and that of the churches throughout the Roman province of Galatia was the same as that of the church in Troas: to assemble on the first day of the week and break bread. Historians of the early church period also testify to this practice.

--CRJ

LOOK FOR THE LOWEST SEAT

A famous football coach was on vacation with his family in Maine. When they walked into a movie theater and sat down, the handful of people there applauded. He thought to himself, "I can’t believe it. People recognize me all the way up here." Then a man came over to him and said, "Thanks for coming. They won’t start the movie for less than ten people."

The human ego must be controlled. We may think we are somebody important. However, not everyone is privy to that information!

I personally know of a situation where a man started a new business. He was bringing in a man as partner who was employed by the Lee Company. They hoped to get a contract with the company. He called the manager to avoid conflict over hiring one of his employees. In the conversation, the plant manager wished them well and made clear that the man could be replaced without problem.

Paul, in the first four chapters of first Corinthians, addresses the problem of division within the congregation. He attributes the cause to men being exalted above others. He argues that they (Paul, Apollos, and Cephas) were ministers of Christ. He further says, "I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase" (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

Humility is one of the most difficult traits to find in our society. And yet, it is one of the most important traits in the eyes of God. Too often, men try to raise their esteem in the eyes of other men when they should be showing their willingness to lower themselves.

Another product of an over inflated ego is the propensity to tear others down. This manifests itself as either an arrogant attitude or backbiting. One either acts out his superior feelings or else takes every opportunity to put others down. The latter is the product of thinking, that believes tearing others down causes one to move higher. No one becomes exalted in God’s eyes by climbing the ladder of ‘I am better than so-and-so’.

True humility is practiced, not awarded as a victory over others. "When thou art bidden of any man to a marriage feast, sit not down in the chief seat; lest haply a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him, and he that bade thee and him shall come and say to thee, Give this man place; and then thou shalt begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest place; that when he that hath bidden thee cometh, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have glory in the presence of all that sit at meat with thee. For every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke 14:8-11).

The truly humble man will look for an opportunity to take a "lower seat".

--Glen Young, Road Creek bulletin, Elkhorn City, KY

CHRISTIAN

The word CHRISTIAN is a name given to those who have obeyed the gospel, and who are supposed to be obedient followers of the Lord. This word is found three times in the New Testament: Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, and 1 Peter 4:16. In Acts 11:26 the name is given to the followers of Christ. In Acts 26:28 Agrippa almost becomes a CHRISTIAN, and in 1 Peter 4:16, there were those who were suffering for being a CHRISTIAN.

Someone has said, "The Christian is a man who has ceased to do what he wants to do and who has begun to do what Jesus wants him to do." This is a wonderful way of expressing the ACTIONS of the Christian. It is no longer the flesh and the desires of the flesh that are the master; but rather, our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Paul expresses himself in a way to show that we are no longer under the domain of the flesh: "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:16-17). This has produced a CHANGE in the man. It caused him to respect the master of the universe, to honor and glorify him in word and deed. Truly, he is a changed man who has "ceased to do what he wants to do and who has begun to do what Jesus wants him to do."

I heard one of my preacher friends express it this way: "When these old people of the world come knocking on the door, you tell them -- "I used to, but I don’t no more!"

--Carl A. Allen, Truth Magazine, January 18, 2001

HOW TO REMAIN FAITHFUL

In describing the judgment scene and its outcome, Jesus teaches that people who will go to heaven must be faithful. At the judgment the Lord will say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" (Matt. 25:21, 23).

We must desire, purpose, and plan to remain faithful. In Philippians 3:13-14 Paul writes, "But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." No one is accidentally faithful.

We must take advantage of the "way of escape" that God provides when we are tempted. "There hath no temptation taken you but such is common to man: but God is faithful,who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (I Cor. 10:13).

We must study the Bible daily. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..." (Col. 3:16). "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby..." (I Pet. 2:2).

We must pray regularly. "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving" (Col. 4:2).

We must practice "the golden rule." Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even to them: for this is the law and the prophets" (Matt. 7:12).

We must keep our priorities in order. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).

We must attend every worship service we possibly can. "And they continued steadfastly..." (Acts 2:42). "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together" (Heb. 10:25).

We must remember that heaven will be worth it all. "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Rom. 8:18).

We must not drift away. "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip" (Heb. 2:1).

We must remember Paul's words: "Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (I Cor. 4:2).

--Randy Kea, via the State College Bulletin 9/10/00

The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.

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