Know Your Bible

VOL. 12 October 20, 2013 NO. 34

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DO YOU KNOW THE STORY OF JESUS?

While many claim to know Jesus, the question we pose is: Do you know the story of Jesus? His story is the way by which we know who He is. What do the Scriptures tell us concerning His story?

COMPASSIONATE. In Luke 7 Jesus came into the city of Nain and saw the funeral of a young man who was the only son of a widow. "And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not." (verse 13). In Galilee a leper came to Jesus wanting Jesus to heal him of his dreaded disease "And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and said unto him, I will; be thou clean." Jesus did what other people would not dare to do in that He touched the leper. No doubt it had been a long time since the leper had been touched by anyone.

MEEK. Jesus said, "...I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29). He proved His meekness as He hung on the cross and said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Let us also remember the story of how Jesus engaged in the meek and humble act of washing His disciples' feet in John 15:5.

LOVED BY SINNERS. He forgave the sins of the woman taken in adultery (John 8:1-11). While in the house of Matthew "...many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples" (Matthew 9:10). When questioned about His eating with them, He answered, "...I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (verse 13).

While the things we have considered so far are truly the story of Jesus it is not the whole story. Yet, far too many people's perception of Jesus is limited to the things we have just examined. Let's continue to look at "the rest of the story".

NARROW-MINDED. It was Jesus who said, "...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6). This is starkly opposite to broad minded thinking which allows for Buddha, Mohammed, and a host of other gods and other ways. Truly, if Jesus were on earth today, He would have to change His attitude about other religions or be rejected and crucified all over again. Let us be narrow-minded as Jesus is.

INTOLERANT. Jesus did not allow the money changers to go on making the temple a "house of merchandise" (John 2:13-17). Instead, he made him a scourge of small cords, drove them out, poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables. Churches today are involved in entertainment, recreation, eating in the meeting house and a host of other things that people have come to expect of today's churches. Would Jesus be as tolerant and not open His mouth to rebuke as He did the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:13-33? We, too, would do well to be intolerant of those things that are contrary to the will of God.

OBEDIENT. Jesus stated: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." (John 6:38). He also said, "...for I do always those things that please him." (John 8:29). "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" (Hebrews 5:8,9). Would Jesus been the "author of eternal salvation" if He had not been obedient? Certainly not! Do we have the hope of eternal salvation if we do not obey Christ? Certainly not! If obedience was required of Christ, it most certainly is required of us! Christ is the "author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him". Could language be any plainer? The verse does not need an interpretation place on it, it just simply means what it says: To Obey Is To Have Eternal Salvation! Therefore, it goes without saying that if we do not obey, we will not have eternal salvation! Obedience is the test of our love for Christ. "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15) because obedience was the test of Christ's love for the Father. "But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do...." (John 14:31). When Jesus kept the commandments of the Father, did He have anything of which to boast? No! When we keep the commandments of the Father, do we have anything of which to boast? No! "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." (Luke 17:10).

By and large, the world does not truly know who Jesus was. What controls your life? To be truly liberated is to let Christ control our lives through our obedience to His will. Jesus is the only One who can control us without destroying us!

---E.R. Hall, Jr.

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GOD-CENTERED HOMES

"Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and turmoil with it" (Prov. 15:16).

President Dwight Eisenhower said, "The problems of the nation are the problems of the home a million-fold." With trouble in society and panic in the financial markets, how do our children and grandchildren see us coping with the challenges of a fallen world? They should see a God-centered home as our refuge of strength amid the chances and changes of life. "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe" (Prov. 18:20).

Our faith in the Lord gives us the strength to go on and not give up. "For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity" (Prov. 24:16). Loving interaction is the rule of conduct in godly homes. "Better is a dish of vegetables where love is than a fattened ox served with hatred" (Prov. 15:17). Such selfless, sacrificial and strong love is only learned from our loving and gracious God (Deut. 6:4-9, Song of Sol. 8:6-7, 1 Jn. 4:7-8).

I recently jotted down these quotes from a recent sermon on "Commitment to the Home" by Tim Stevens:

˙ "No success in the workplace can compensate for a failure in the home place."

˙ "If a child is allowed to be in control in the home, then the home is out of control."

˙ "If we don't teach our children the right way, someone will teach them the wrong way."

Does God live in our daily home life? Do our children see us making decisions based on Christ-centered values? Let us remember as Christians: "Christ is the head of this home, the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation."

Our spiritual commitment to a God-glorifying home life will honor God, attract outsiders to Him, strengthen our children, and bless us in our fond memories of home.

---W. Frank Walton

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--- E.R. Hall, Jr.

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