In This Issue

• JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD
• SHE MISSED IT
• YOU CAN
• AVOIDING SIN
• UPCOMING GOSPEL MEETING SCHEDULE
• MORE INFORMATION...

JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD

 Mark wastes no time getting to the point: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1).

Skeptics sometimes try to make some point from the fact that Mark does not record the virgin birth. Several years ago, I read a letter to the editor in a religious publication, in which the author argued something to the effect that “since Mark and John do not record the virgin birth, they obviously did not believe in it.”

The following month, another writer took issue with the first, pointing out that Mark and John simply do not record anything about the birth or childhood of Jesus. This does not suggest that they thought He came into the world full grown——they just didn’t record His years before He reached maturity and began His public ministry. In fact, in their own ways, both Mark and John did acknowledge the virgin birth.

John frequently referred to Jesus as “the only begotten Son of God,” John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9. Every time Jesus is called the only begotten Son of God, His virgin birth is implied. Jesus was not the son of Joseph or any other human father. Jesus is the Son of God.

Indeed, that is what Mark said of Him in the very first verse of his writing: it is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

Another interesting thing about John’s description of Jesus as the only begotten Son of God is how it contrasts with Jesus’ relationship to Mary. Jesus was Mary’s firstborn, Matthew 1:25; Luke 2:7. Whereas Mary later had other children, of which Jesus was the first, God had no other children in a literal, physical “begotten” sense.

It is a fairly common misconception that Mary remained a virgin perpetually. The Bible clearly indicates otherwise. Matthew tells us that Joseph did not have sexual relations with Mary “till she had brought forth her firstborn Son” ( 1:25). Obviously, after the birth of Jesus, Joseph had marital relations with her and she had other children. The brothers and sisters of Jesus are mentioned several times in the Scriptures, Matthew 12:46; 13:55; Mark 3:31; 6:3; Luke 8:19; John 7:5; Acts 1:14; Galatians 1:19.

And so Jesus was the FIRST born of Mary, but He was the ONLY begotten of the Father.

--CRJ

SHE MISSED IT

 The other day at the local airport, I witnessed an incident that I cannot forget.  It has left an impression that haunts me, even troubles me.  It was one of the most moving things that has happened to me in a long, long time.

 All the passengers had passed through inspection, through the outside door of the waiting room and up the steps into the plane.  The ground attendant with his ear muff fitted, had closed the door and recessed the steps into the fuselage.  Another attendant with a message on a long pole handed the final word to the pilot.  The engines were started and accelerated to acceptable speed.  Just as the plane began to move a well-dressed woman of probably 60 rushed up to the door of the terminal and said: “Oh, no!  They can’t leave me!  I must not miss this flight!”  The attendant looked at her through the glass and smiled but he made no effort to unlock the door or to stop the plane.

 The thing that haunts me is the look of consternation on that woman’s face, the sheer panic, the frustration.  Her plane was leaving and she should have been on it.  She had no baggage, not even a hand bag.  Apparently she had already checked her luggage and had missed her plane by visiting in the lobby; just plain carelessness.  Then she began to calm down, lit a cigarette and stood there looking like the most dejected, disappointed, crestfallen bit of humanity one could ever see.

As I witnessed the behavior of this woman, my mind turned to thoughts of the day of judgment and the hour when the righteous are caught up to meet the Lord in the air and the unsaved are left.  When the realization really strikes home: “I am hopelessly, helplessly and haplessly lost!”  What a thought!  What anguish, recrimination, and despair will grasp the souls of the damned!

I thought of Noah and the flood.  How the people must have felt when he closed and barred the door and the rain began to fall!  I thought about those that had made fun and joked about that silly old man building a boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high, hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean!  But it was a different story with the floodwaters rising!

How many of us will be lost because of a transgression of the law or the failure to do good, which is what sin is?  How many that knew the gospel and that they ought to obey it will be lost because they simply put it off?  How many out-of-duty Christians will be unprepared to meet Jesus because they intended to make things right but just got too busy?

When the thought really strikes home: “I am dying and I am not prepared to meet God!” the same panic, the same hopelessness, the same despair, that was written all over the face of this frantic woman will be indelibly carved in our faces.  The difference is, she could catch the next plane, but there will be no second chance for those unprepared to meet God when death overtakes them or the Lord comes!

--William Mardell Lynch, The Sword of Truth

YOU CAN

One question asked with frequency is, “What can I do as a member of the this local congregation?”  That is truly a fine inquiry and manifests a spirit that is much needed today.

To be happy in the work of the Lord is to cultivate a real sense of BELONGING -- to legitimately feel that YOU are a vital part of the work.  To be active in the work of the Lord is to have CONCERN for that work -- and a genuine LOVE for those who share in that same work with you.

There is much that you can do today to share the good message of salvation that has graced your life.  

YOU CAN:

CONCENTRATE, one on one, in leading a soul to salvation.

ENTERTAIN a group of members in your home in order to cultivate better friendships and relationships.  Take a personal interest in and responsibility for the peace, harmony and growth of the church family.

INVITE a friend or family member to Bible study and worship.  Countless people are sincerely searching for truth and would cherish and accept your interest in them.

TAKE AN ACTIVE INTEREST in the visitors to our services.  Greet them with warmth and friendliness.  Talk to them, sit with them, encourage them.  Never allow them to merely be lost in a sea of humanity and thus leave feeling that their presence is not important and valued.

ENCOURAGE.  Through a card, visit, or call encourage those members who are absent from our assemblies.  Absenteeism is a symptom of a deeper need which must be addressed immediately.

WRITE a note of appreciation to someone who has truly influenced your spiritual life.

FORGIVE someone who has set himself to be your enemy.  Ask God to help you rise above anger, revenge and ill will.  Pray for that enemy and do him good.  Always conduct yourself as a Christian in both word and action.

DO SOMETHING THOUGHTFUL for a sick or homebound person.  What better way can one illustrate love for those less fortunate than ourselves?

SHOW HOSPITALITY.  Show hospitality to someone who has lost a loved one or is struggling with some grave personal challenge.

PRAY EVERY DAY for the saints and the kingdom of God on earth.

You see, there is much YOU can do in using this day to the glory of God and the betterment of His Son’s kingdom. 

 --Don Truex, Gospel Observer, Sept., 1992

AVOIDING SIN

If you read Matthew Henry's commentaries for any time you will come across a pointed saying. In his thoughts on Daniel 3 he said, "Those that would avoid sin must not parley with temptation."

Some may consider me naive, but I believe most people, given the clear choice, desire to do right. Few people would openly say they want to sin. But the problem is we "parley" with temptation. We want to see how close we can get to sin without sinning. We allow ourselves to "tempt fate." Parley means "to have a discussion, especially with an enemy." Various illustrations could be given: associating with non-Christians in such a way that leads us to compromise our faith; reading or watching things that incite lust, perhaps influencing us to immoral behavior. Think about it. "Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren" (James 1:14-16).

--Ronnie E. Hinds, Gospel Observer, Denham Springs, LA

You cannot serve God and mammon (wealth), but you can serve God with mammon.

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