What Are You Talking About?

So, what are the last words you say when you are leaving others? I find myself often ending a phone conversation with family members by saying, “Goodbye, I love you.” Those words are not just meaningless words, but are intended to remind those who are so precious to me that I cherish them.

Thinking about this led me to wonder what parting words were used by the writers of the epistles. I actually was amazed when I took time to look into this matter. Some of them ended their letters by sending greetings or expressing expectations to see others soon, but there is one phrase used consistently by Paul in his writings. Before reading more about the answer to this question, what phrase or phrases did Paul use as he ended his letters?

Paul’s parting words in his epistles. To the Corinthians, he said, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus” and “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ . . . be with you all” (1 Cor. 16:23-24; 2 Cor. 13:14). As he finished his letter to the churches of Galatia, he said, “Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit” (Gal. 6:18). He had preached in Ephesus for three years and ended the epistle to them by saying, “Grace be with all of those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” (Eph. 6:24). To the Colossians, he said, “Grace be with you” (Col. 4:18). The apostle to the Gentiles ended both letters to the Thessalonians with “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (1 Thess. 5:28; 2 Thess. 3:18). He used the same words in the three epistles to younger preachers, “Grace be with you” (1 Tim. 6:21; 2 Tim. 4:22; Tit. 3:15). He finished that very personal letter to Philemon by saying, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.” The same idea is found in the last verse of Hebrews, “Grace be with you all.”

Paul’s emphasis on grace. Should there be any wonder as to why Paul magnified grace in his letters? He constantly had to deal with Judaizing teachers who tried to bind the law on Gentiles. Even more overwhelming was Paul’s realization that he, the chief of sinners, had received grace from God. The remembrance of His grace is the prime motivation for spiritual maturity (2 Pet. 1:8-9). He never wanted those around him to lose sight of the grace of God.

The emphasis of your words. What words, not just the parting ones, do people hear you mentioning most often? Do they ever hear a spiritual emphasis, or is it always on secular matters? One could not be around Paul without hearing about grace. What do those around you hear from you?

Jesus Believed Every Word of the Bible. . . . Do You?

When one reads the accounts provided of the life of Jesus in the New Testament, the knowledge and respect that He had for the Old Testament Scriptures ought to impress upon us the same urgent need to increase our own knowledge and respect for God’s Word.
Jesus believed the words of the Bible. When He taught about the resurrection of the dead, He quoted from Exodus, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” to prove that “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matt. 22:37). Jesus believed the words of the Bible. Do you?
Jesus believed the stories of the Bible. When He taught about the nature of His own death, He illustrated it by referring to when “Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness” (John 3:14). Jesus believed the stories of the Bible. Do you?
Jesus believed the prophecies of the Bible. When He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth, He read from Isaiah 49:8-9 and then said, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:16-21). Jesus believed the prophecies of the Bible. Do you?
Jesus believed the eternal truths of the Bible. When He was asked about the ever-important subject of marriage, He pointed His challengers to “the beginning of the creation” (when God created marriage) and quoted this everlasting precept of God, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Mark 10:1-8). Jesus believed the eternal truths of the Bible. Do you?
Jesus believed even the “hard to believe” things in the Bible. There is a story in the Old Testament that tops every sceptics list as something they count to be “purely mythical” or “scientifically impossible.” In their estimation, “Jonah was never swallowed by a big fish, surviving three days in its belly before being extruded out on land none the worse for wear.” However, of all the ways to depict His burial and His resurrection on the third day, Jesus chose to use the story of Jonah for comparison. “…[N]o sign will be given...except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:39-41). Jesus believed even the “hard to believe” things in the Bible. Do you?
Do you believe in Jesus? If so, do you, like Him, believe every word of the Bible? Do you respect the Bible like Jesus did?

Close Enough

How often does the philosophy “close enough” impact your daily life? You pull into a parking space and you’re a little further to the right than you should be—close enough! You cut a piece of wood and it’s one-eighth of an inch off—close enough! You call your child by the wrong name but it’s still somebody in the family—close enough!

How do you suppose that philosophy works with God? Pick up your Bible and pick a Bible teaching. Is “close enough” good enough with God?

In order to become a Christian, God says that one must hear the gospel message (Rom. 10:13-17), believe the gospel (John 20:30-31), repent of his sins (Acts 17:30), confess his faith in the Son of God (Rom. 10:9-10) and be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Suppose someone looks at this, having already (in their minds) believed, repented and confessed, and he says, “Close enough!” Is it really close enough for God?

In order to win souls to Christ, God says that one must “let his light shine” (Matt. 5:16), be mindful of the works that others see in him (Matt. 5:16), put the church first in his life (Matt. 6:33), exhort others to worship God (Matt. 4:10; Heb. 10:25), demonstrate his faith by his works (Jas. 2:18), be holy in all his conduct (1 Pet. 1:15) and preach the gospel message to those who are lost in sin (Mark 16:15). Suppose someone looks at this, scared to death or embarrassed at the idea of actually teaching the gospel, and he says, “I’ve lived a good example before others. They can see Jesus living in me. That’s close enough!” Is it really close enough for God?

In order to go to heaven, God says that one must go through Christ (John 14:6), obey His will (Matt. 7:21), make his call and election sure by growing diligently (2 Pet. 1:5-11), and faithfully serve Him for life (Rev. 2:10). Suppose someone, on the day of judgment, looks at this, having never been convinced that they could actually lose their salvation once they had been baptized, and says, “Well, I was close enough.” Is it really close enough for God?

The philosophy “close enough” may work in some of the inconsequential situations we face in life (parking, woodwork, horseshoes, etc.). However, following the “close enough” philosophy can cost you your soul.

In Numbers 13, the Israelites came to the border of the Promised Land (couldn’t get any closer), but they failed to enter the land of rest. “Close enough” was not good enough with God. Read chapters 3-4 in the book of Hebrews. May God help us to not come short of our rest (Heb. 4:1; 12:15)!

Lock in 2012

The Stuart church of Christ is hosting our second annual LOCK-IN at our Outreach building on January 1st, 2012 starting at 2pm and ending on Monday, January 2nd at 9am.
There will be:
 Capture the Flag
 Youth lead worship
 Food
 Basketball tournament
 Board games
 Movies
 Baking contest
 More…
The theme for the night is “What happens next?”
We’ll be looking at how far reaching our decisions can be, who can help or hurt them, how they define how responsible I am, and what happens if I’m unprepared.

Matthew 25:11-12, “‘Sir! Let us in!’ they cried out. ‘Certainly not! I don't know you…’”

Call or email me for more info. Please RSVP by Dec 28th, 2011. See you there!