The Church of Christ and World-Powers
Today is Independence Day, a time to reflect on the beliefs and actions of our Founding Fathers. Similarly, I think it is beneficial to consider the views of our fathers in the faith. David Lipscomb was the editor of the Gospel Advocate for more than 50 years in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Fittingly, we want to consider today his views on the relationship between Christians and the civil government, a topic he frequently addressed. This comes from…
The Unity of the Spirit
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph 4:1-3). Note that last phrase especially: the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Paul’s exhortation to the church in Ephesus is one that we need to hear again and again. As long as Christians remain united,…
Joshua’s Resolution
On this Father’s Day, let’s consider an important statement made by God’s man Joshua, one that he makes as a father. In Joshua 24, he is giving his farewell address to the nation. He was an old man who could already feel the hand of death upon him; so it was important that he give the people guidance on how to continue on without him. He recounts the history of Israel, attributing their prosperity to God. If the people forget…
Situation Normal
My brother emailed me this little article earlier this week. It is courtesy of Dr. H. Wayne Shamblin, who authors a brief weekly devotional thought. Dr. Shamblin is evidently an interesting character in his own right: he wrote the music for the hymn “Rejoice in the Lord” which appears in several of our songbooks, and played basketball at Abilene Christian University, where he still holds some records. He is a retired basketball coach who is a member of the Bullard…
“Stand Firm in…Liberty”
I Thank My God I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me…Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. (Philippians…
Our Memorial Days
Monday is Memorial Day, a time that our nation has set aside to commemorate those military personnel who died in the performance of their duties. That concept of memorial is one that is worth deeper consideration. The ability to remember is a wonderful gift that God has given to us. Over the years, I have talked often about this at funeral services —memorial services— that I have officiated. But God is also aware of the fact that, sometimes, we forget.…
What Do I Do?
A few weeks ago, we began a new adult class on Wednesday evenings where we are studying Christian ethics; more specifically, we are thinking through how we make decisions when we are faced with difficult moral dilemmas. This should be practical for all of us, not only as we grapple with controversial ethical issues that our contemporary culture is struggling with, but also just on a day-to-day basis as we all strive to choose to do God’s will. This past…
The New Normal
This week the CDC announced that there is no longer a need for masks or social distancing in most cases for those who are 2 weeks past completing their course of vaccination. Closer to home, the Primetimers had an outing together for the first time in over a year. At the end of the month, we are honoring the graduating Seniors with activities that include a congregational meal. And our attendance in our Sunday morning assembly is steadily growing closer…
A Hard Day
Today is Mother’s Day. The holiday was first organized by Anna Jarvis, who held a memorial for her mother at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, where she had been a Sunday School teacher, in 1907. An official worship service was observed in the same place the following year, accompanied by a larger ceremony in the store of Philadelphia merchant John Wanamaker. By the year after that, it was being celebrated in New York City. Jarvis then launched…
Let’s Get to Work!
On the first day of the last week of his life, Jesus made his “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem. He was greeted by crowds of people shouting Hosanna to the son of David— “God, save!” —and waving palm branches, welcoming him like a king. That did not sit well with the Jewish elites, who questioned his authority in series of confrontations. At one point in this clash, Jesus told them a story: A man had two sons. And he went to…
The Cholera and the Christian Religion
In the summer of 1873, cholera struck the city of Nashville. From a population of 25,865, about 1,000 people died—4% of the city, in other words. David Lipscomb lived about 10 miles outside of town, yet he remained in Nasvhille throughout the epidemic to tend to the sick and the dying. He was disturbed, however, that a number of his fellow Christians fled rather than staying to minister to the needy. In response, he wrote an article in the July…
O You of Little Faith
The most pressing matter in the news this week is obviously the Coronavirus. Searching the term in Google returns a number of articles, and there are constant updates. As I type this, I see a warning that cash could be spreading the virus; the King County, Washington government, dealing with the worst outbreak in the US, have bought a quarantine motel; and that one official in a news conference promoted common sense measures to check the spread of the disease…