Articles
Seeking
SEEKING
By Steve Melton, August 2024
Should we seek God or He seek us?
It is a question rather sublime.
But, it has been asked.
From the beginning of time.
God wants us to choose Him.
Gives evidence to follow His call.
His presence is so magnificent.
It would overwhelm us all.
We should seek God with all our being.
There is a need within our heart.
Or do we turn our own way.
Think it’s better if we part.
God has sought us through Jesus.
With love He sent His Son.
That we should want to be with Him.
That we all be one in one.
God has sought us first.
Called us with nature and divine revelation.
Will we then seek after Him.
Become His children in the heavenly nation.
Deacons in Jerusalem
By Paul R. Blake
I received this question from a brother in Ohio: "In our Wednesday Bible study there was a question asked… ‘if the seven men of good reputation in Acts 6 were appointed as deacons?’ And, can you prove it?"
Answer: It must be understood that when Acts 6 was written, New Testament doctrine regarding the church was in process of being revealed. It was not an instantaneous process, but rather revelation took place on some occasions as problems arose that necessitated it. For example, in Acts 15 when trouble arose over the matter of circumcision, the brethren came together in Jerusalem and the Holy Spirit guided them into an authorized solution to the matter (15:28). So it is with Acts 6, when the problem arose over caring for the Grecian widows, the apostles in their capacity as spokesmen for the Lord provided an authorized solution (Acts 6:6). The apostles appeared to be doing the kind of work that was later done by elders, even though they were not called by that name. Acts 6:4 - "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
Elders were not called by that name until Acts 11:30. In addition, James, Peter, and John appear to be elders in the church at Jerusalem, even though they do not have that name in Acts 6 (See Acts 28:8; Gal. 2:9; 1Peter 5:1). Neither are the seven men called deacons in Acts 6, even though they are doing the work that was later assigned to deacons (1Tim. 3:13).
However, it must be clear that deacons cannot be appointed in the absence of elders. Phil. 1:1 makes it clear that the church is scripturally organized when it has elders, deacons, and members. Furthermore, the men appointed to care for the distribution in Acts 6, did so under the direction of the apostles who appear to be serving in the role of overseers in the church at Jerusalem at that time.
It is not possible to prove that the seven men of Acts 6 were deacons, any more than we can prove that the apostles were elders. What we can prove is that by Acts 14:23, all churches were to be organized with elders, and by Philippians 1:1 local churches were scripturally organized with elders, deacons and members. What took place before those texts in terms of the organization of local churches is between those autonomous churches and the Lord. But for our day, we must be organized as clearly specified in the New Testament revelation of God’s will for local churches. We can no more return to the time of Acts chapters two through six organization for the church, than we can return to the time of direct apostolic teaching and miraculous manifestations of the Holy Spirit. We rejoice in the wisdom of God as manifested in the organization of the church with qualified elders and deacons.
A Moments Wisdom About Living in the Moment
--Rejoice in the things that are present; all else is beyond thee. (Montaigne)
--If you have one eye on yesterday, and one eye on tomorrow, you're going to be cockeyed today.
--You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.
--Study as if you were to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow. (Isidore of Seville)
--The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. (Chinese Proverb)
--The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness. (Abraham Maslow)
--If you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven't done much today.
--One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us.
--There is no distance on this earth as far away as yesterday.
--No man is rich enough to buy back his past. (Oscar Wilde)
--The past is a guidepost, not a hitching post.
--We often crucify ourselves between two thieves: regret for yesterday and fear of tomorrow.
Door Knocking
By Mark Jamieson
Leon Estep, who for several years produced the Open Bible Study materials, says that the latest polling information places about one percent of current Christians reached by door knocking. Statistics claim that you have to knock on average 150 doors to set up one Bible study. Of those Bible studies, on average only one in ten result in baptism. In essence, you have to knock on over 1000 doors to get one baptism. Not good odds.
On the contrary, 75 percent of current Christians were reached by friends and family members. This means that our fields are in our own back yards. People in today's culture will usually study only with someone they trust. Educating members to recognize opportunities to invite and encourage friends and family is crucial. I do not minimize the importance of the one percent. Their souls are invaluable to our Lord; He died for them. However, we are also stewards of our time and resources. Should we spend the majority of our time on one percent or on 75 percent?
I don't believe in America that the ineffectiveness of door knocking is so much due to hostility toward the Gospel, as it is hostility toward those we associate with door knocking -- Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and others. Door knocking was once effective. Times have changed. We must never change the message, but we have to change our approach to the situation in which we find ourselves.
Upcoming Sermons
9/1/24 AM - Humility Vs. Defeatism (Requested); PM - Congregational Choice of Songs
9/8/24 AM - We are Never Alone; PM - The Day Everything Went Wrong
9/15/24 AM - Guest Speaker; PM - Guest Speaker
9/22/24 AM - Guest Speaker; PM - Guest Speaker
9/29/24 AM - “For Ye are the Light of the World”; PM - Guest Speaker: Doug Sanders - Miracles of Jesus
