volume 30, no. 11, march 20, 2016 & scripture reading ...1 john 1:8. “if we say that we have...
TRANSCRIPT
“Why You Should Be a Christian”
There are many reasons why one should be a Christian. We all want to know reasons ‘why”?
Children learn early in life to ask, “Why?” In this lesson we will look at several reasons one should
be (or remain) a Christian!
One should be a Christian because a sinner is unfit to meet God! Man is separated from God
by sin. Isaiah 59:1-2. “Behold the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither
His ear heavy that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your
God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.” All accountable
people have sinned. Romans 3:23. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God”. 1 John 1:8. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not
in us.” A sinner is in a lost condition. Ephesians 2:12-13. “That at time ye were without
Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of
promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.” One cannot live in sin, and be a
Christian at the same time! Matthew 6:24. “No man can serve two masters; for either he
will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to one and despise the other. Ye cannot
serve God and mammon.” A choice must be made by all. It is either the lord’s way, or else.
One should be a Christian, because God has provided salvation. Even when we were lost,
God loved us. Ephesians 2:4. “But God who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith
He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by
grace ye are saved).” The blood of Christ is necessary to our salvation. Hebrews 9:22.
“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood and without the shedding of blood
Cla
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Heb
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John
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Rep
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A
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2:3
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Mar
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Gal
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@ce
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et
Loeta Barr, Floyd & Marcella
Brown, Ted Clarke, Imogene Dold,
Monna Farmer, Melissa Givens,
Larry Grisham, Wayne Halford,
Mary Henry, Everett Johnson,
May Ann Legler, Kelly Marsh,
Mary Sue Marsh, Bettie Maxwell,
Linda Perry, Charles Riley, Gerry
Roberts, Eddie Robinson, Betty
Sage, Gene Shellabarger, Lois
Shelton, Donna Shipley, Linda
Ward, Leona Willard, Gail Wolff
& Sibyl Wright.
BrookeHaven Sue Ellen Moore
National HealthCare Loeta Barr
Imogene Dold
Jackie Wells
Velnora Wilkening
Pleasant Valley Manor Leota Crawford
Dorothy Luna
Pat McFarland Joe Powell
West Vue Louise Cook
Elsie Croney
JoAnn Eagleman
Bobby Jo Gish
Hazel Henry
Dennis Smithson
Lucy Tackitt
Charlie Ward
CHURCH OF CHRIST “I was glad when they said unto me; Let us go into
the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1)
111 South Curry St.
West Plains, MO 65775
417-256-3925
Office Hours 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. / T - F
COME JOIN US IN OUR
WORSHIP!
Sunday Bible Study 9:30 a.m.
Classes for all ages!
Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.
Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday
Bible Study 7:00 p.m.
KJV Requested For Pulpit, Classrooms & Scripture Reading.
Ch
urc
h o
f C
hri
st
11
1 S
. C
urr
y S
t.
We
st
Pla
ins
, M
O
65
77
5
R
eturn
Ser
vic
e
R
eques
ted
No
n-P
rofi
t
Org
.
U.S
. P
ost
ag
e
PA
ID
Perm
it N
o. 95
West
Pla
ins,
MO
6
577
5
Those We Love In
Need Of Prayer
Nursing Home
Residents
Volume 30, No. 11, March 20, 2016
www.cschurchofchrist.church
Room 201
Room D11
Room D2
Room A13
Room C12
Room 206
Room 405
Room 505
Room 404
Room 327
Room 425
Room 404
Room 412
Room 713
Room 411
Room 602
Room 808
By: Gene Bench
Continued on page 3
AREA WIDE MEETINGS
(Flyers posted on bulletin board in the foyer)
Gospel Meeting with Ivie Powell
March 20 – March 23
Gospel Hill Church of Christ
Pottersville, MO
21st Annual Doniphan church of Christ
Ladies Day
“Think on these things”
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Fordland church of Christ
Annual Ladies Retreat
April 1-2, 2016
“Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen In Me!”
Guest Speaker: Cindy Colley
Crider church of Christ
Gospel Meeting
April 10-13, 2016 lectures
Bill Dillon
Mammoth Spring church of Christ
3rd
& Bethel
April 17 – 20
Billy Bland Instructor at Memphis
School of Preaching
Annual Ladies’ Day
East Oakland church of Christ
Saturday – April 16, 2016
March
Birthdays &
Anniversaries
March 20 - 26, 2016
20 – Shelby & Evonna Adkisson
22 – Randy Griffin
23 – Anna Lee Cherry
24 – Elberta Biltoft
Ashley Cotter
Gene & Louise Ledbetter
26 – Marietta Caldwell
A Warm Welcome To Our Visitors!
We want to welcome each and every one
of you to our worship services today! We
hope you will stay after services, so that we
may become better acquainted with you! If you would, please fill out an attendance card
located in the pew in front of you and drop it into
the collection plate, so that we may have a record of
your attendance.
Happy Anniversary to
Shelby & Evonna Adkisson!
Groups 1 & 2 and Groups 3 & 4
**If you have not picked up your directory
pages, they are located in the foyer.
WORKDAY HERE AT THE CHURCH BUILDING 8:00 AM SATURDAY, APRIL 2ND
Fill in the Blank:
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise,
and the ____________shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the ______ that are therein shall be ________ ___. Answer from last week: repay
Congregational News
PLEASE KEEP
IN PRAYER
Loeta Barr, Imogene Dold,
Mary Sue Marsh, & Gene Shellabarger
(Sara Sydow’s dad)
Remember all those who are having struggles at
this time.
Search a Word
PROVERBS, CHAPTER ONE
F E F I L M I F F U S E D A E H
N O B L O U T E N O S P L E E T
I N O D T U C K B L E I I S P O
A U S R R I G A I L O R O R E O
G I R N P N O S E P O O E M I F
W H I M O E A R S C H O O H O T
U N A M B L R O N C H I D E T O
G O A K L A W F Y L I V I R P Y
O D E S U F E R B U G G E D A W
K W I L Q U A I R B A R K S O T
R M I U A N T A E L E C A L O E
U S I T S U L K V W O H L C L D
L E T W H I G U O M H A O P E E
T R E E V O T H R O W O M L I T
F R E E Z E U A P S T I L E D A
S O S O H W I T H E S T N E T H
ALIVE PRIVILY AMONG PROVERB
ANSWER QUIET BEHOLD REFUSED BLOOD
REPROOF CHOOSE SIMPLE FOOT SPIRIT
FORSAKE SPOIL GAIN SWALLOW GRACE
THEREOF HATED TURNING HEAD WALK
LAUGH WHOLE LIFE WHOSO LURK WISDOM
MOCK WITHOUT
“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead,
being alone. James 2:17
*****************************
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. James 1:8
Reminder: The visitation groups will meet after evening services in the small auditorium.
*****************
Mark Your Calendar!
Gospel Meeting at
Curry Street
April 3 – April 6, 2016
“Revive Me Oh Lord!” Sunday AM Class: “Little Known Facts about
the Bible”
Sunday AM Sermon: “Were You There When
They Crucified My Lord?”
Sunday PM Sermon: “Up From the Grave
He Arose!”
Monday PM Class: “Jesus Loves Me”
Tuesday PM Class: “5 Views of Mk 16:16”
Wednesday PM Class: “Words Written on an
Asylum Wall”
*“STRENGTHENING YOUR MARRIAGE or I MARRIED WHO?” *7:00 PM – Small Auditorium *MARCH 24TH *IVIE POWELL - INSTRUCTOR. (Week 5)
is no remission.” Thus our Lord shed His blood on the cross, that all men, by obedience to
His will, may be saved. 1 John 1:7. “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son cleanseth us
from all sin.”
One should be a Christian, because life is uncertain1 Life here is uncertain, but the
hereafter is certain! Life is a vapor. James 4:13-15. “Go to now ye that say, today or
tomorrow we will go unto such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get
gain. Whereas ye know not what is on the morrow, for what is your life? It is even a
vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanishes away. For that ye ought to say, if
the Lord will, we shall live and do this, or that.” The Apostle Peter reminds us how brief
our stay is in this life. 1 Peter 1:24. “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man is
as the flower of grass, the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.” When we
realize how brief our time is, we should see the urgency of our need to prepare!
One should be a Christian, because certain punishment awaits those who reject Christ!
Hebrews 9:27. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment!”
We will all be there to receive judgment according to our works. Revelation 20:12. “And
I saw the dad, small and the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works.” We are told the righteous will
“scarcely be saved” 1 Peter 4:17. “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the
house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end be of them that obey not the
gospel of God! And if the righteous “scarcely be saved”, where shall the ungodly and the
sinner appear?” It will be by God’s grace that any will be saved! That will be a fearful
time to stand before our Lord unprepared! Hebrews 10:26 – 27. “For if we sin willfully
after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice
for sins. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall
devout the adversaries.”
There are many reasons why one should be (or remain) a Christian. Only the Christian has
the promise of eternal life in Heaven. Why would you risk another moment in failing to do
the Lord’s will? Obedience to Him now, will by God’s grace give you access to that
wonderful place that Christ has prepared for all the obedient!
YOU MAKE THE CHOICE Toney L. Smith
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods” (Joshua 24:15 16).
Multitudes are yet standing at the crossroads of decisions… deciding which road to take. The prophet Joel penned these words, “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision” (Joel 3:14). Every person must answer the question found in Matthew 27:22, “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” We cannot make this soul-saving decision for our families nor any of our loved ones. Every man must decide which master we will serve (Luke 16:13). We often sing a song that asks the question; “What will ye do with Jesus…?” What we do with Jesus demonstrates the choice we have made.
Every person will be called upon to choose between two opposing rulers. It is utterly impossible to render acceptable service to both at the same time. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24). He alone has the authority to reign and rule in our lives, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18). Of Paul addressed this subject in 1 Corinthians 15:25; “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” Yes, Jesus Christ is the supreme ruler and master. As such, we should serve Him with joy, loyalty, and undivided allegiance. However, we must remember the presence of another who wants to be our ruler. He continually seeks to take over our lives and become our master (1 Peter 5:8). Satan is the master and rulers in the lives of men who love the world (1 John 2:15-17). Paul describes him as the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:1 2). Therefore, we must face the fact, the inescapable fact, that there are two who rule in the lives of men, and we must choose one or the other. There are no other choices! The choices we make have far-reaching rewards as well as consequences. In this life, the path we take will most assuredly affect the lives of others. Paul said, “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men” (2 Corinthians 3:2). We are all writing an epistle. It will be either a good one or one that could lead others astray. Our homes today are desperately in need of parents who are teaching their children what it means to make right choices. They should be guided in the ways of
“Why You Should Be a Christian: (Acts 26:27-29) ” By Gene Bench
the Lord, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
Many will stand in the judgment, facing eternity realizing that they had lived their lives following the wrong master. They built their lives upon an improper foundation and will recognize their fatal mistake far too late. We must realize that we build our lives upon the gospel of Christ or based on the doctrines of men. Every life sits upon one of two foundations. “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Matthew 7:24-27). Joshua encouraged Israel to “choose ye this day whom ye shall serve.” Choices are extremely important for both today and eternity. Remember… “There is just one way to the pearly gate.”
THE DIVISIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT Jesse Stephens
No doubt each of us, to some degree or another, can recall our younger days when we were sitting in a
Bible class and someone taught us that the New Testament can be divided into four sections: the
Gospels, History, Letters, and Revelation. Most adults understand the divisions of the New Testament,
as well as their importance. Sadly, however, far too many do not understand the importance of keeping
everything in its proper place and viewing it from the proper perspective. When you apply statements
made to Christians to non-Christians, you run into serious contextual problems. In this article I want
look at the divisions of the New Testament and examine why they are important.
Every trip that we take, we make plans to get from point A to point B. We will systematically set down
and plan our trip. When you think about it, you will see that the divisions of the New Testament are
actually systematic plans, from start to finish, for our trip to heaven.
The Gospels tells us of the life, actions, and teaching of Jesus the Christ, the Messiah of God. Without
the Gospel accounts of the events in the life of Christ, we would not know who Jesus is. John, an
apostle of Jesus Christ, gave us the purpose of the gospel when he stated, “And many other signs truly
did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that
ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through
his name.” (John 20:30-31).
The next section commonly called history records the beginning and growth of the church. It’s
interesting to note, that this is the only book in the Bible that gives comprehensive, detailed
instructions on becoming a Christian. What is also interesting is the fact that each step in the
conversion process can be traced back to the teachings of Jesus. The steps of salvation are:
1. Hearing the message from heaven. Jesus said, “… blessed are they that hear the word of God,
and keep it. (Luke 11:28). Compare that to Acts 2:22, “…hear these words…”
2. Faith or believing that Christ is the Messiah. Jesus said, in John 8:24, “…ye shall die in your
sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” Compare that to Acts 8:37,
“If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest…”
3. Repentance is another step toward heaven. Jesus said in Luke 13:3, “…except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise perish.” Compare that with Acts 2:38, “…repent and be baptized for the
remission of sins…”
4. Confessing Christ as the Son of God. Jesus said, Matthew 10:32, “Whosoever therefore shall
confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” The
Ethiopian stated, “…I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (Acts 8:37).
5. Baptism. Jesus commanded his disciples to preach the gospel and that, “He that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16). We see
this put into every example of conversion recorded in the book of Act. For example, compare
Acts 2:38, “…repent and be baptized for the remission of sins…”
The letters is the division of the New Testament. They are important because they teach us how to live,
and worship as Christians. 1 Tim 3:15, “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest
to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of
the truth.”
The last division of the New Testament is the book of Revelation. Revelation is very important to you
and I is Christians as well as as to those who are not Christians. It has been stated that the core of
Revelation is simply “a warning to the sinners and a comfort to the Saints.” Rev 22:14-15, “Blessed
are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in
through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers,
and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
In light of what we have just stated, it’s easy to see why the divisions of the New Testament
truly are an explicit roadmap to heaven.