WILL WAR EVER STOP?

WILL WAR EVER STOP?
We fought and conquered our forefathers in the Revolutionary War. We fought and conquered our brothers in the Civil War. We fought and conquered our neighbors in World War I, and World War 11, and Korea, and Vietnam, and a few small wars, if any war is small. When will war ever stop?
William Tecumseh Sherman said, “War is Hell.” This came in a speech made to the graduating class of Michigan Military Academy, June 19, 1879. Some one else has put it, “War is not an act of God but a crime of man.” When will we ever stop hating and fighting each other?
I want to contend that the message from the letter to Philemon in the Bible holds the answer for us.
This private letter of intercession by the Apostle Paul to Philemon concerning a runaway slave, Onesimus, is very revealing. The primary concern of this letter was for reconciliation between two people, a Christian slave owner and a run away slave, who has become a Christian. The issue is that Paul has a converted slave on his hands. What should he do with him? Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon. Why? How could he do that? Onesimus is an illegal fugitive. Legally he belonged to Philemon. So, according to law this was the thing for Paul to do. But, the circumstances have changed as Onesimus is no longer just a slave, he is a Christian. Philemon, his master, is no longer just his master, he is a brother to Onesimus since they both are Christians. There is now a relationship that is greater than any other in this world. We as Christians still have different roles to play but we are ONE as children of God. We are kin, with Jesus as our brother and God as our Father. Christians are brothers and sister in Christ. It does not matter the color of our skin, or our nationality, or any other differences. We are one.
Paul lovingly is asking Philemon to forgive Onesimus, to restore him and to receive him as a brother in Christ. There is still master – slave relationship but there is a higher, greater relationship because of Christ. Paul did not call for a revolution, revolt against slavery, because the Roman Empire was build on slavery. Social issues, in this case slavery, are corrected when the heart is corrected. Christian brotherhood does away with all class, race distinctions and social barriers. External differences are abolished in Christ. Isn’t that the meaning of Galatians 3:26-29 “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus., for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Not violence or force, but changed lives is the true way to peace and harmony.
Abraham Lincoln was asked what he was going to do with the Southerners when they were defeated in the Civil War. He answered, “I will treat them as if they had never been away.”
That is the way God treats us. We were all runaways from God. Jesus found us, paid the bill for our sins, gave us forgiveness and made us a part of His family.

PENTECOST SUNDAY

This day can slip by without notice.  Many throughout the religious world will never know that it is PENTECOST SUNDAY.   It is a day that is slighted.   Yet, Pentecost was such an important day that the Bible calls it, “THE GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY OF THE LORD.”  God predicted this day through the prophet Joel.  Acts 2;17-21  What was happening there in the city of Jerusalem in the second chapter of Acts Peter said, “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.”  God had planned this day from the beginning.  All the items of Joel’s prophecy were fulfilled, not in a single day, but in the circle of events that centered in that day; such as the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, the coming of the Holy Spirit, the preaching of the Good News (Gospel) and the beginning of the Church.

Here in the second chapter of Acts, we have another Genesis, new beginnings.  We have the beginning of the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit to direct the Apostles in divine truth, the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel (Good News of salvation through Christ), the beginning of forgiveness of sins (salvation),  and the beginning of the Church (people saved).  Yes, Pentecost is the birthday of all that.

The doors were opened wide and keys of the Kingdom (God’s message) was preached and accepted by man for entrance into the only soul-saving institution known to man, the Church.  Notice, that the Lord does the adding to His Church, not man.  Can one be saved outside of the Church?  Of course not.  For, if you become a Christian by obeying the God given truth, God will automatically add you to His Church.

Does it seem strange that Peter continued to urge the people present “To save themselves from this crooked (non-directional) generation.” He was telling them to save themselves.  Is that possible? In one sense, no, for no one can be saved outside of God’s mercy extended through His Son, Jesus.  No one, but Jesus could make that perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.  So, no one can save themselves apart from Jesus.  Yet, Peter is insistent, “Save Yourself.” What does he mean?  There can be no salvation without a voluntary response upon the part of an individual to God’s truth, without belief in the Message.   I Corinthians 1:21 “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.” 

You save yourself by taking hold of God’s Son, Jesus. For instance, a drowning man knows what to do when a rope is tossed to him and someone yells, save yourself.  Take hold of the rope and be pulled to safety.

OBEY GOD AND BE SAVED.

A Christian Mother

Upon this Mother’s Day, we do well to honor Christian Mothers.
There are those who are contending that Christianity is on the decline and it no longer functions meaningfully in our culture. If true, what are we Christians going to do about it? We who are suppose to be light and salt to a world of darkness and evil? Our effectiveness is due to God’s presence in our lives and the extent to which we surrender, on a daily basis, to His Lordship. I believe that the answer lies in our homes. If our homes, families, are not strong in the faith, everything else will be weakened. As goes the home, so goes everything else.

Mothers, it may will depend most upon you, you pointing the family to the way of the Lord. We husbands and fathers have not been as consecrated to the Lord in leading the family to God as we ought to be. Parents, teach your children the Bible, share with them in prayer, point them to Jesus, bring them to church, involve the family in the work of the Lord. None of this is possible, if you do not set the example, lead the way.

The question is asked in the 31st chapter of the book of Proverbs, “Who can find a virtuous woman?” May we share together what God’s Word says about a virtuous woman.
The chief concern of woman, who becomes wife and mother, is to her husband and family. The key note of her life is faithfulness.
She is energetic. She tends to the needs of her household. She does not eat the bread of idleness.
She is compassionate. Her concern for her family makes her mindful of others. She is known for her kindness.
The crowning virtue of the ideal mother, and that particular virtue that sets her apart from all others is, SHE FEARS THE LORD. She knows that “pretty is what pretty does.” Her deepest concern is not the physical but the spiritual. Bodily beauty is vain and deceitful. Her beauty is beauty of the soul, that never fades or leads astray.
The result of this woman, wife and mother, is her influence upon her family. Her children and husband praise her. Name, if you can; a higher, stronger, more uplifting and more abiding influence than that of a GODLY MOTHER.

Christian mothers, we honor you this day and thank God for you. Someone said, “It is the hand that rocks the cradle, that rules the world.” May your influence increase.

SOMEONE SPECIAL

I want us to think of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  The world knows her by many names: blessed virgin, holy mother, mother of God, or simply the mother of Jesus.  Yet, we have been out of touch of her humanity. What was she really like, this young Jewish girl, Mary of Nazareth?   May I try to refresh our minds with some Biblical scenes of Mary to show just how special she was.

Luke 1:28 giving the announcement of the birth of Jesus, says this concerning Mary, “Blessed are you among women.”  Mary is so deeply disturbed that she asks: “Why was I chosen? How can it be that God in His wisdom would ask such commitment of me?”   She has to ask, “How can this be, since I have never been intimate with a man?”  However, with supreme loyalty she submits herself to be used by God. She said, “I am the Lord’s servant.”
What about Joseph?  How difficult for Mary to tell this man whom she loved so deeply that she was going to have a child. He must have thought that she had been unfaithful to him.  He refused to go through with their marriage.  The angel of the Lord came to Joseph telling him, “that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”  Matthew 1:20   So it was, that God used the miraculous conception and the natural birth process to bring His Son into the world.  Mary placed her whole womanhood at the disposal of her Creator and became mother of the very Son of God.
Jesus at age 12 was found in the temple amazing the learned men of the day.  Understandably so, that Mary was upset thinking that her child was lost.  She said, “Your father and I have sought you sorrowing.”  Jesus answered, “Know you not I must be about My Father’s business.”  Luke 2: 41-52
In Jesus ministry, there was bitter opposition by the authorities. Mary tried to get him to go home with her and the family  to be safe. But, Jesus refused.
It happened just as she dreaded but knew it would.  Jesus is nailed to a cross.  Mary, his mother, is there at the foot of the cross.  Mary’s silent endurance of what she could not change is a great lesson to all of us. Jesus is mindful of her there and speaks to John asking him to care for Mary, “Here is you mother.  From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”
We last see Mary in the upper room in the city of Jerusalem with the followers of Jesus.  JESUS has appeared alive to many so Mary now knows that all she had pondered in her heart makes sense.  Jesus, her son is indeed the SON OF GOD.

God through Mary has stamped His divine approval on motherhood.  He used a woman, not just any woman, but a humble, obedient woman to serve His purpose.  Mary was special but she would say, “Oh, HE’S someone special, someone special, that is so easy to see.  HE’S someone special, someone special, that much is certain to me.”

All of us can be someone special if we love Jesus and make HIM that special one.