In This Issue

 

• RESURRECTION ON THE “LAST DAY

• ONE OF THE SADDEST THINGS I HAVE EVER SEEN

• THE IMPORTANCE OF GRANDMOTHERS

• MORE INFORMATION...

RESURRECTION ON THE “LAST DAY”

Jesus told the multitude, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:37-40).

The people in Jesus’ audience were, for the most part, those who had been among the 5,000 He had miraculously fed from the five loaves and two small fish. They, seemingly could not get their minds off physical things long enough to identify with the more important spiritual blessings Jesus wanted to give them.

There are several things that might be noted from Jesus’ words quoted above. First, take notice that Jesus will not force or compel unwilling servants to follow Him. The Father has given Him those who choose to come. “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me…”

Secondly, note that all who do choose to come to Him are welcome. “The one who comes to Me I will be no means cast out.” On the last page of the New Testament, Jesus extends this invitation: “I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. (Rev, 22L15-17).

Thirdly, Jesus makes it clear that He has no personal agenda separate from that of the heavenly Father. He is not motivated by physical, human desires, but by the Divine will. “Not My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”

Finally, Jesus shows that the blessings He wants people to receive are not temporary. Unlike physical blessings which end at death, Jesus wants to give that which will endure even beyond the grave. Those who die in Jesus are not lost in death, but every one of them will be raised up from the dead to “everlasting life.”

Also note that Jesus tells us that the resurrection of the righteous will be at “the last day,” verses 39, 40. There is a common concept that there are to be two (or more) future bodily resurrections separated by a period of 1,000 years. The theory, based on a misunderstanding of the symbols of Rev. 20:4-6. says that there will be 1,000 earth-years after the righteous dead are raised. Jesus, on the other hand, says that both the just and the unjust will be raised in the same resurrection, John 5:28-29, and that it will be on “the last day,” John 6:39, 40, 44, 54; John 12:48. As the old gospel song says, “The trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more…”

--Clarence R. Johnson

ONE OF THE SADDEST THINGS I HAVE EVER SEEN

 Yes, I would like to share with you one of the most touching, saddest things I have ever seen. The occasion was the funeral of a young man 20 years of age. He was the son of a dear brother and sister in Christ. The young man had been struck by a car while riding a motorcycle. He lay critically injured for seven days and finally on the eighth day, his life slipped away.

 The boy was an only child and the apple of his parents’ eye. For 20 years they had heaped their love and affection upon this, their beloved son.

 The young man was evidently well known and well liked by his contemporaries, as a large percentage of those present for the funeral were young people.

 As you might expect, I found the parents overwhelmed with grief. The father sat in a daze. He sat for long periods of time with his face buried in his hands. The mother had wept till the tears would no longer come. She sat limp, leaning on the shoulder of a loved one.

 The funeral service proceeded in the usual way with a group from the church singing some songs, a reading, a prayer and a short address by the local evangelist. At the conclusion of the service, those present were allowed to view the deceased one last time. In due time I found myself moving toward the casket. As I stepped forward for one last look, the father, with a quiet but firm voice called my name and motioned for me to come to him. I stopped before his chair and he said, “Raymond, when everyone but the family is out, I want to say a prayer at the casket.” There were still a number of people solemnly and methodically making their way from the chapel. When the last row of non-relatives was being dismissed, I stepped back to the father’s chair. I said, “Tell me again exactly what you want to do.” The father repeated, “When everyone but the relatives are out, I want to lead a prayer.” I replied, “Do you think you can do it?” He answered, “I can.” I went directly to the undertaker and explained the father’s request. With remarkable finesse and quickness, he asked the pallbearers to step out of the room and called the family together before the casket. Of course, I cannot remember or quote the prayer verbatim, but it was so vivid that the thoughts remain firm in my mind. The father stepped to the casket, folded his hands, bowed his head over the body of his dead son and prayed thus:

 “Our Father we thank you for letting us have this boy these 20 years. We thank you for all the joy, happiness and pleasure that he has brought into our lives. We are so thankful, Dear God, for the love that he gave to us and for all that we meant to each other. But now, Father, we can go no further, we can do no more. O Dear Father, we pray, we hope we did all that could be done… Father, we know he is in the hands of a just God… Oh, Father, we know you are true and must be true to yourself… Father, do what you can for our boy… He has gone from us and we can no longer see him… Oh, God, help him any way you can. And now, Father, forgive us our sins. Give us the strength and courage to go on… And help us Father, help us to walk in your way, that we may overcome the world and be allowed to come and be with you eternally. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

 The father then turned to walk away. Three steps later his knees buckled and he fell to the floor. Three strong men lifted him back to his feet and assisted him to the car.

 The mother, past crying, gasped for breath and could no longer stand alone.

 As the last of the family passed out of the door, the undertaker swiftly closed the casket and gave directions for the removal of the flowers. I turned away and wept as I have not wept in a long, long time. Truly, it was one of the saddest things I have ever seen. You see, the boy was not a Christian.

 --Raymond E. Harris via The Contender

THE IMPORTANCE OF GRANDMOTHERS

By the time a lot of women get to be grandmothers, they begin to feel as if they are of little importance. Let me help you change your attitude if this be the case. The importance of a grandmother can be seen in a number of ways.

A Child's Training Begins With His Grandmother

A lot of people wait until a child is almost grown to begin proper training and teaching. Waiting until a child is a teenager to begin teaching and training is far too late! If you want to have a good child, his training should have begun with his grandmother. Paul told Timothy, "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded in thee also" (2 Tim. 1:5). When looking for a wife or a husband, what better person to look at and check out than the grandmother?

Grandmother's Have Influence

The God-fearing grandmother has good children. Grandmother Lois had a good child in the person of Eunice. The making of a good child takes lots of hard work and good influence. Ezekiel said, " . . . as is the mother, so is her daughter" (Ezek. 16:44). If a mother wants to know what kind of daughter she will have, she just needs to look at herself!

Grandmothers And Grandchildren

Grandmothers are used for a lot of things from baby sitting and on. Perhaps the greatest thing which a grandmother can give is faith. I know that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17), but this faith has to be instilled in us by someone. Timothy's mother, Eunice had been trained and taught properly and, in turn, her son Timothy was a godly boy. Timothy was a .young gospel preacher who had been brought up right and consequently he had "unfeigned faith." An unfeigned faith is a sincere faith. Paul had confidence in Timothy because he knew his mother and his grandmother. Paul seemed to be proud of Timothy and referred to him as his "son in the gospel" (1 Tim. 1:18).

God be thanked for godly grandmothers!

--Johnie Edwards, Truth Magazine, Nov. 10, 1977

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