Bulletin Articles

Among the post exilic works, that is those writings after Judah’s captivity in Babylon, was the prophet Zechariah. He was a contemporary of the prophet Haggai, and began his prophetic work approximately 520 B.C., some 16 years after Judah was released from captivity. Among his treasured writings, are a series of visions in which he converses with the angel of the Lord.

In Zechariah 5:5-11, the prophet sees a vision of a woman sitting in a basket. The angel identified the woman, by noting, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her down into the basket, and threw the lead cover over its mouth” (Zechariah 5:8, NKJV). As the vision progressed, the prophet witnessed two women with wings, who came and carried the basket, with the woman in it, to the land of Shinar (Babylon). There a house would be built for it, and, “when it is ready, the basket will be set there on its base” (Zechariah 5:11).

What the prophet was seeing in a vision was wickedness being sent or returned to the sinful, heathen land of Babylon. God did not want such sinfulness to remain in the land with His people.

Here is a powerful lesson that needs to be stressed in the Lord’s church today. That lesson is that sin should not be brought into the church; it should be left in the sinful world. Things such as prejudice, faultfinding, backbiting, gossip, envy, jealousy, hatred, pride, arrogance, etc. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21), need to be left in the world, and should not even be named among the Lord’s people.

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”. . . “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:14,17. “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” Ephesians 5:11.

The following clip from Reuters was published in the October 1995 Christian Chronicle:

“The New Testament got a major facelift last month with a new English translation eliminating references to God the Father, turning the Son of Man into ‘the human one’ and removing accusations that the Jews killed Christ. The new translation says children should not ‘obey’ their parents, but heed them. Wives are no longer ‘subject’ to their husbands, but committed to them…the Lord’s prayer now begins with “Our Father-Mother in heaven.”

The above clip is reason for concern. It seeks to eliminate the deity of Christ, the respect for authority in the home, blasphemes Almighty God with its gender reform, and refuses to fix the blame for the Lord’s crucifixion. “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36). Efforts at making the Bible more palatable is nothing more than giving in to itching ears of modern times. Did not Paul address this? “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

One cannot help but to lament for future generations as they seek out the Word of God, and know that they will be misled by being directed to “translations” like these. In the short little clip, there are several errors which are glaring, but who knows how many other doctrinal errors are in the actual document? It is tragic to think that sincere individuals are going
to be lost because someone tampered with the Word of God. Those who have changed the Word would do well to heed the true words of long ago: “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it (Deuteronomy12:32). And again, “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:6).

A young man was being interviewed for a job. The employer held a glowing letter of reference and complimented the potential employee on such an impressive letter. With modesty came the reply, “I’m glad you liked it. I wrote it myself”. Pride goes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18), and it also goes before a lot of hot air.

The world is filled with puffed up people who hold themselves in the highest esteem. But in 1 Corinthians 4, the apostle Paul is addressing a puffed up church; “Now some are puffed up” (verse 18; also verses 6,19). The Greek word is phusioo (pronounced ‘foo-see-o’-o”), defined by Strong’s Concordance as “blowing; to inflate, make proud (haughty); puff up”. The Corinthian were a proud, haughty, puffed up bunch. They felt good about themselves. As a matter of fact, they felt better about themselves than the Lord did! They had written their own glowing letter of reference, had read it, and were very impressed with what it said. In 1 Corinthians 4:7-13, Paul gives a pointed portrayal of just how puffed up they were. They saw themselves as “full, rich, reigning as kings, wise, strong, distinguished”. Study carefully and you will find this is a case where an inspired Bible writer uses sharp irony (an expression in which the intended meaning of the words is the opposite of their usual sense). Paul employs this technique to puncture their puffed-up pride and jerk them back to spiritual reality.

The point, of course, is not to suggest we ought to feel bad for feeling good about the church. The problem was not that the Corinthian church was rich and full. Christians, after all, enjoy what Paul called in another place the “unsearchable riches of Christ” (Ephesians 3:8). The problem at Corinth was what they were full of — themselves! Church pews can be occupied by puffed up people who, spiritually, have become as snug as a bug under a rug. Nice jobs, nice homes, a nice income, a nice building, a nice budget, nice preachers, nice elders, nice worship services, and a nice membership can puff us up with a sense of accomplishment and pride to the point that we become stagnant and complacent in our spiritual lives and work for the Lord. When this happens, we begin to “keep house for the Lord” instead of storming our neighbors and the world with the gospel.

Words from Revelation 3:16-17 ought to puncture the pride of any Christian or congregation puffed up with self-conceit and pride — “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’; and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked”. When we feel better about ourselves than the Lord does, we are puffed up with pride.

Many in the religious world today fail to submit to the simplistic plan of God, because of biblical assumptions based on tradition or man’s logic. The church of Christ must teach the Bible and the Bible alone so all “members in particular” understand the various roles in the church, past and present.

In this article, let us briefly explore a few definitions in order to better identify these individuals and their roles in the church.

Apostle – These men were (1) commissioned by Christ (Luke 6:13; Acts 9:15; Acts 22:14); (2) were witnesses of our Lord’s resurrection (Acts 1:22; Acts 22:14,15; Acts 26:16; 1 Corinthians 15:5-8; 1 John 1:1); (3) received instructions from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 10:16-20; John 14:26; John 16:13-16; Acts 1:5,8; Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:4-16), or direct revelation from Christ as in the case of Paul (Galatians 1:11-12; Ephesians 3:1-5); (4) had the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:1-11; Mark 16:17-18; Mark 16:20).

Prophet – The prophets were inspired to make known God’s will after it had been revealed to them through the apostles. Their service accompanied and supplemented the work of the apostles (1 Corinthians 14:37).

Evangelist – These were inspired men who acted under the direction of the apostles, preaching the “good news” or “glad tidings” of the gospel (Acts 8:5,35; Acts 8:40; Acts 21:8; cf. 2 Timothy 4:5). They were the missionaries of their day.

Pastor – These men were endowed to feed and teach Christian duties and obligations. They were the “shepherds”, “managers”, or “overseers” of the early church (Ephesians 4:11; cf. Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2-4). Note that the following words may be used to apply to the same office: (1) Elder=bishop=pastor (Acts 20:17,28); (2) Elder=bishop (Titus 1:5,7); (3) Elder=pastor=bishop (1 Peter 5:1-2).

Teacher – Christians who undertook the work of teaching, with the special assistance of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). The purpose of these endowed teachers was to instruct the early church in the full and complete will of God (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Conclusion
From the above list, apostles and prophets are no longer needed in the church today because (1) miraculous “gifts” are no longer necessary, and (2) no further prophecy is needed with the completed revelation of God’s word (1 Corinthians 13:8-10; James 1:25; Jude 1:3). The completed and inspired revelation of God’s word is today “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17; cf. 1 Peter 1:20-21 – NKJV).

We continue our efforts with how we worship. We must engage our minds to worship God (John 4:24, Matthew 22:37). That means we need to listen attentively to the prayers and the sermon (1 Corinthians 14:15). We need to sing with all of our heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16). We need to give with purpose and thanksgiving in our hearts (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). And we need to remember the death of Jesus as we partake of the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:19). How many times do we catch ourselves thinking about what is for lunch or what we’re going to do later in the day instead of focusing on the worship. We cheat ourselves out of a relationship with God when we don’t engage our minds in worship.

When we leave the church building our efforts must continue. If we simply leave what we’ve done at the building behind, then we are going to limit our relationship with God. However, if we take what we’ve learned and tell others about it, we will not only help others but ourselves as well. This may mean doing good to those who are in need (Galatians 6:10); it may means being a good example to our children (Ephesians 6:4); it may mean teaching someone about the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20); it may mean setting an example of model behavior for our coworkers (Ephesians 6:6). Regardless who we influence, there must be the effort of influence.

What will happen if we engage ourselves in the work of God? We will grow as individuals. The church will also grow also; others will see the wonderful things working in our lives and they will want to be part of it. Our efforts will not go unnoticed, and we, as individuals Christians, will not be the only ones to benefit from our work. “No pain, no gain” means that if we want more out of our relationship with God we need to work harder at it. Let us all resolve to renew our efforts to serve God in all things.

For part 1 of this epistle, check out No Pain, No Gain (Part 1 of 2)

There is an expression among those who exercise regularly, “No Pain, No Gain.” The expression basically means that if you are not willing to work hard and suffer a little for your efforts, then you are not going to accomplish very much. Just doing the easy and simple exercises that don’t challenge one’s body won’t lead to lasting results. The same principle is true in life as well. In order for one to be productive in business, for example, one must be willing to make sacrifices of time and money; one must make an effort in order to do well. In our personal relationships also, we understand this to be true. The more we put into a relationship the better it is going to be. The parent who makes an effort to spend time with his children is going to have a better relationship with his child than the parent that doesn’t. The husband who spends more time with his wife will have a better relationship than one that is always gone.

Should it cause us to wonder, when we come to the spiritual world, that if we don’t make an effort at serving the Lord that we’re not going to get anything out of our relationship with God? The same principle is true here  as well. “No pain, no gain.” Sometimes I think that people expect church to be some kind of spiritual playground where we can just relax and have fun in the glow of God’s goodness. While I certainly believe that coming to church can be rewarding, it doesn’t quite work like a playground. Our worship and service requires of us some effort, both mentally and physically. The more effort we put into our worship and service, the greater our relationship with God will become.

Our efforts must start with our attendance. If we don’t attend services or if our attendance is sporadic, then we’re not going to get very much out of it. Attendance to the worship services is where we get our encouragement to continue to live godly lives and be faithful to the Lord Hebrews 10:25. It is absolutely critical to our relationship with God. It is as important as families having dinner together on a regular basis. To miss such an  appointment is to undermine one’s relationships.

For part 2 of this epistle, check out No Pain, No Gain (Part 2 of 2)

The apostle Paul was a great preacher. By his example and instruction he teaches much about preaching the Gospel. In his letter to the Thessalonians he gives a glimpse into his style of preaching. (1 Thessalonians 2:1-7).

6. The Gospel preacher must preach to please God, not men.“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). Too many today appear to be more concerned with “making friends” than in winning souls. Too many seem to be more interested in making a name for themselves than in proclaiming the name of Christ. Too many allow friendship, family, etc. to alter their teaching. We must preach to please God and Him only!
7. Paul never used flattering words. Plain talk is the easiest to understand. The Gospel is for all and should be taught so that all may hear, understand and respond.
8. God is witness to our preaching. Therefore, I dare not seek to preach to please men. I dare not preach less than the whole counsel of God. I dare not be anything but bold in my proclamation of the Gospel.
9. One can obey all of the teaching of Paul concerning the preaching of the Gospel. One can follow the example of preaching that Paul left for us and still be “gentle…as a nurse cherisheth her children.” One can be bold in telling men the truth. He can be plain. He can be strong and still be gentle.

Expect nothing less…. the gospel of Christ MUST be preached!!!

For part 1 of this epistle, check out Gospel Preaching (Part 1 of 3)
For part 2 of this epistle, check out Gospel Preaching (Part 2 of 3)