I don’t like war. If I had my way, I’d turn back the clock of time and make sure all the terrorists were arrested before they ever boarded those aircraft last month. Still, I realize that the prevention of just one tragedy would not halt the tendency of human beings to fight against each other. No matter how much we may wish differently, it seems some battles just cannot be avoided.

Whether we like it or not, Christians are engaged in spiritual warfare. God commands that we, “put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11).” We face an enemy who is every bit as vicious and deceitful as any terrorist, and what’s more, our enemy refuses to show himself. Satan is content to work behind the scenes, never quite revealing himself, even though we all can see the effects of his presence (read Job 1).

And herein lies the real danger: because our enemy is unseen, it becomes very easy for people in the church to forget our true purpose. Some have forgotten who the true enemy is, and others have begun to question whether we are even fighting a war at all!

There are some soldiers in the Lord’s kingdom who have decided to give up the fight altogether. These “deserters” have decided that it would be easier to surrender their lives to sin. They know the consequences of sin (Rom 6:23), but would rather be amused and entertained than fulfill the purpose for which they were created (Eccl. 12:13). To them, the Christian life seems too inconvenient and too demanding.

Some soldiers of the cross are passionately fighting the wrong battles. Instead of working to win more souls to Christ, it seems that these brethren are intent on scrutinizing every action and motive of their fellow Christians. And woe to him with whom one of these overly suspicious soldiers finds fault! Brethren, we should be concerned about sin among us (Jude 3), but let’s be sure that we are not developing the kind of critical, judgmental attitudes Jesus warned about (Matt. 7:1-6). To this kind of soldier, the enemy seems to be everywhere, and everyone’s intentions are suspect!

Still other soldiers pay lip service to their struggle, but in reality they seek to embrace the enemy with open arms. “We shouldn’t get so worked up over doctrine,” they say, “but instead we should unite under the cross and celebrate God’s grace.” Fact is, the Bible says that doctrine is VERY important since it will be the basis for our judgment in the final day (2 Jn 9; John 12:48-49). Those who seek unity at the expense of clear Bible teaching will one day realize that they have, in reality, stopped fighting and embraced that which is ungodly (Amos 3:3; Eph 5:11). It seems better to these soldiers to call a truce than to fulfill their marching orders (see Mark 16:15-16; Matt 28:18-20).

Brethren, we are engaged in the most serious kind of warfare — spiritual warfare. We fight by teaching people the truth. We fight by keeping our hearts pure. We fight by checking our attitudes and motives constantly. We fight by loving those outside of Christ enough to tell them that they are in danger (Jude 23). What kind of soldier will you be? Jesus has already gained the victory (1 Cor 15:57). “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15).”   — John Baker

Andrew the apostle is an interesting fellow. His name is mentioned only 13 times in Scripture, usually with the added appendage, “Simon Peter’s brother.” Andrew played second fiddle to his more prominent and boisterous brother, but Andrew’s actions show something profound and powerful about his character. Whenever we see Andrew in action, he is always bringing somebody or something to Jesus! Consider the “cameo” appearances of this great servant of Christ:

Andrew brought himself to Jesus — “They immediately left their nets and followed Him” (Mark 1:18). Jesus challenged Peter and Andrew to stop being mere fishermen and to become fishers of men. Andrew jumped at this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Jesus offers His followers something lasting and eternal. Andrew was involved in a trade that filled men’s bellies, but Jesus offered a life of filling men’s souls. Andrew and his brother counted the cost and left everything to pursue Jesus and the “abundant life” (John 10:10). Andrew gave up his job to serve God better. How much are we willing to give up in order to present our bodies as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1)? Will we, like Andrew, choose the eternal challenge of a walk with our Savior?

Andrew brought his loved ones to Jesus — “He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah!’ and he brought him to Jesus” (John 1:41-42). After spending an afternoon with the Savior, Andrew became convinced that this indeed was the Son of God (cf. John 1:35-40), and Andrew’s excitement could not be contained. People had been looking forward to the Messiah since the fall of man in Eden (cf. Gen. 3:15). Not only was Andrew convinced of Jesus’ identity, he was determined to tell others! He found his beloved brother Peter and brought him to Jesus. Whom have you told about the Savior recently? Jesus intends to make an impact not only in our lives, but also in the lives of others!

Andrew brought his troubles to Jesus — “Sir, we wish to see Jesus” (John 12:20-22). When some Greek proselytes asked Philip to see the Savior, Philip wasn’t sure what to do, so he sought the advice of his friend and fellow apostle Andrew. Andrew likewise wasn’t sure what to do, but his reaction is different that Philip’s. Instead of taking his troubles to another fallible human, Andrew took them to the Source of all power — Jesus. Where do you take your hurts, fears, and hopes? Our God wants us to, “be anxious in nothing, but pray about everything” (Phil. 4:6). Andrew knew what to do with his troubles. Are we as wise as this little-known apostle?

Andrew brought possibilities to Jesus — “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fishes, but what are they among so many?” (John 6:9). When Jesus desired to feed the multitude in John 6, He challenged His apostles, and Philip especially: “Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?” (John 6:5). Philip reacted the way many do today: “Lord, there’s not enough money in the coffers to accomplish Your will!” (cf. John 6:7). Philip’s view of the Lord’s work was in terms of dollars and cents rather than opportunities and challenges to be met. Many elderships and congregations today proudly stand before God and declare to Him that there are not enough resources to do what He wants! Andrew’s attitude is much to be desired. While Philip is on the mount with a calculator, Andrew is in the crowd looking for possibilities. He finds a boy with a lunch, and God gives the increase (John 6:11-12). Let’s resolve to be more like Andrew, bringing ourselves, our acquaintances, our problems, and our possibilities to Jesus! — JB

 On October 29, 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Harrow School to hear the traditional songs he had sung there as a youth, as well as to speak to the students. Although he actually spoke for several minutes, the most famous line of that speech was, “Never give up. Never, never, never, never give up.” Oh, how Christians need to heed those words! We need the power to stay the course!

Churchill was echoing a message already contained in God’s word. James 5:10 commands us to, “take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering and patience.” In other words, Christians ought to look at the Old Testament prophets as examples of how to stay the course when times are difficult. Let us focus on four truths that the prophets believed and embraced.

Faithfulness looks strange to the world — Reading the prophets, one is struck by the sense of maladjustment that characterized these men of God. They lived by faith and thus they never quite fit in (cf. Jer. 15:17). Because they obeyed God, their faith looked strange to others. At God’s command, Ezekiel lay on his side 490 days (Eze. 4), Jeremiah walked about with a yoke on his neck (Jer. 27-28), and Isaiah went naked three years (Isa. 20). If faith is going to be worth something, it has to stand out (Matt. 5:13-16)!

Being ‘politically correct’ is different from being relevant — Just like us, the prophets lived in times of “political correctness.” Jeremiah preached the word of the Lord and was imprisoned as a traitor to his nation (Jer. 38:1-6). When false prophets were crying, “Peace, peace,” Jeremiah was declaring God’s wrath (Jer. 8:11-12). The lesson? In order to always be relevant, God’s people must say things that are eternal. Times change, nations rise and fall, and attitudes are fickle. However, God’s word is relevant to every generation (1 Pet. 1:25). “Thus says the Lord” is always relevant, but not always popular.

Sometimes the price of faithfulness is apparent failure — The prophets lived in godless societies and witnessed the ugliness of corrupted religion. Elijah tried to change things at Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18:20ff), but when the people did not respond as he expected, Elijah slipped into a depression (1 Kings 19:4-14). Jeremiah preached for about 40 years, and evidently never converted a single soul. Very often, God’s faithful people do not see the fruit of their labors. What appears to have been a failure may in fact be the seeds of tremendous success — and only eternity will tell the effect of our deeds (1 Cor. 15:58).

The just shall live by faith — Habakkuk lived in a cesspool of sinfulness. He saw the idolatrous forces of Babylon approaching from the north to destroy his own wicked nation, and he asked God, “How long will you allow wickedness to so prosper?” (Hab. 1:2). In Hab. 1:17, he seems to ask, “who will win out though all this sinfulness?” God’s answer is powerful: “The just shall live by faith” (Hab. 2:4). The prophets were thus encouraged to keep doing what is right because they realized that faith is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4). The Bible is good news not only because of salvation in Jesus Christ, but because it’s consistent message is that righteousness eventually does triumph! Satan is a usurper and will not win (Jn. 12:31; 2 Cor. 4:3-4). The just shall live by faith — that message needs to be heard in our day just as it was in Habakkuk’s!

God gives us the power to stay the course through His promises to us. It is up to us to believe, trust, and obey those same promises, for we know our labor in the Lord truly is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58). —JB

God has ordained a pattern for the New Testament church in His word. Churches that seek to please Him must heed His word on every matter, from worship to organization to moral behavior. The purpose of the church is to glorify God (Eph. 3:20-21), so let us consider some habits that will help us to honor and glorify Him more.

The Habit of Crucified Lives — “Love not the world…” (1 John 2:15). The church is NOT something we do; rather it is something we are. The called-out people of God are to make a habit of rejecting the value system of this present world and embracing the values of God (Col. 3:5-17). Highly effective churches emphasize internal character and a righteousness that comes from the heart (Matt. 5:3-20).

The Habit of Zeal — “Zeal for Your house has eaten me up” (Ps. 69:9). The church at Laodicea was condemned for being lukewarm (Rev. 3:14-22). Jesus cast out the money changers in the temple because of zeal for what is holy (John 2). Being zealous means that we are supremely concerned (“boiling over”) with the will of God (Matt. 26:39).

The Habit of Balance — “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it…” (Deut. 4:2). It’s easy to emphasize some commands while neglecting others. Some congregations emphasize relationships but not sound doctrine. Others emphasize ministry among the members but not leadership or personal holiness. Would we not be wise to emphasizeall the things that God teaches in His word? That’s what it means to be truly balanced.

The Habit of Evangelism — “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2). Churches that please God make a habit of finding and cultivating prospects. Every person in the church touches the life of a lost soul in a way that nobody else does. What will the saved do with such an obligation? If the Gospel really is good news, why would the church be ashamed of it (Rom. 1:16)?

The Habit of Involvement — “The thing you do is not good; both you and these people who are with you will wear yourselves out… you are not able to perform it by yourself” (Exodus 18:17-18). Just as Moses could not judge every matter in Israel alone, so it is foolish for the work of the Lord’s church to be done by just a few. Truly sound churches seek to involve people in the Lord’s work (cf. Acts 6:1-7).

The Habit of “Owning” the Work — “No church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only” (Phil. 4:15ff). Sound churches do not send money to mission fields without fervent prayer. Too easily mission efforts can become, “out of sight, out of mind.” This was evidently not the case in Scripture, however. Sending money to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a matter of fellowship (Phil. 1:5ff). It’s useless to give without really loving the work of the Lord (1 Cor. 13:3). Sound churches make sure their funds and their hearts are in the right place.

The Habit of Dependence — “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). Sound churches make a habit of depending on God. Their prayers reflect a desire to see God’s will done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:9-10). Their speech always gives credit to God, being filled with boasting about God’s will being done (cf. 2 Cor. 8:1-7; Gal. 6:14). Truly sound churches genuinely believe that without God they are wholly insufficient. Nothing significant is ever accomplished in this life without God’s powerful hand (Phil. 2:12-13). —JB

Concerning God’s word, every human being is like an empty glass or a dry sponge. God wants us to fill ourselves with His word (cf. Eze. 3:1-3) to the point where we are both overflowing and saturated with it. Saturation is where the very best preaching and teaching comes from. Jeremiah explains saturation this way: “Your word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not contain” (Jer. 20:9). Jeremiah appreciated the value of God’s word so much that he could do nothing other than continue to preach it.

Saturation is a condition that is reached when a Christian has spent so much time in the word that he or she is brimming over with it. When a preacher or teacher is overflowing with the word of God from intense personal study, applications will be fresh, information will be accurate, and lives will be changed to the glory of God. It is always better for the teacher or preacher to have something to say, than to have to say something!

But make no mistake: saturating oneself with the word of God is no easy task. It requires the kind of attitude Jesus had: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). Saturating oneself requires the mindset of Jeremiah: “Your words were found and I did eat them; Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jer. 15:16). In our busy lives, we often marginalize the word of God in pursuit of “more pressing” needs. Consequently, it seems that few Christians today really know what Jeremiah and Jesus knew about effective preaching and teaching. The best way to change people’s lives is to first allow your own life to be changed through daily study, meditation, and repentance into God’s will (cf. Psalm 1:1-4).

If you’ve ever heard a preacher or teacher who communicates God’s truth out of the overflow of his or her diligent study, your life has undoubtedly been enriched. To be sure, the Gospel does not depend on us for its power (cf. Rom. 1:16). Paul said that some were preaching Christ out of envy and strife rather than out of the overflow (Phil. 1:15-16), and yet Paul still rejoiced that Christ was preached. Life-changing truth does not depend on the motives, abilities, or eloquence of its speaker to be effective, but it is also true that people are more likely to be affected by God’s word when the one speaking it has already responded personally to that same truth. We’re simply more likely to believe the teacher who sincerely appreciates the inherent value of what he or she is teaching! Because of this, Paul exhorted the young minister Timothy to meditate and study God’s word, “that your progress may be evident to all” (1 Tim. 4:15). The change God’s word continually made in Timothy’s life was to serve as an example of his sincerity, love, and faith among the people he was trying to teach (cf. 1 Tim. 4:12).

Saturation in the word of God is accomplished by diligently making God’s word a priority in our lives (Ps. 119:103). When a teacher’s cup has been filled in study, he is better able to refresh God’s people by teaching out of the overflow. When a Christian’s life has been changed by God’s word, he is ready to take that word to a lost and dying world (Matt. 28:18-20).

In a world that’s largely indifferent to real Christianity, will we answer the call to be sincerely changed by God’s word (Ps. 119:11)? Will we diligently study so that each of us may truly be saturated with God’s word? —JB

Belief is a funny thing: it has to be grown in individual lives. Belief can’t be given, forced, or prodded. Most people are naturally skeptical, so we usually don’t believe in a cause just because someone else does. For example, many of us sympathized this week with actor Christopher Reeve (of the “Superman” movies) on the anniversary of his tragic paralysis, but most of us are not actively involved in his foundation to search for a paralysis cure. Why don’t we believe and work in the cause as strongly as he does? Answer: because most of our lives have not been touched as deeply as his.

The same is true of Christian belief. People don’t believe in Jesus because we tell them to. They believe in Him because His words touch their lives deeply. We must do the preaching and teaching, but Jesus’ words ALWAYS do the convincing and convicting.

As one surveys the book of John, the phrase “come and see” is repeated in a number of places. John tells us that he wants us to believe in Jesus (John 20:30-31), but he wants us to believe because our lives have been touched by the Savior. Let’s examine those who were told to, “come and see.”

Good men were told to, “come and see” — Andrew and John were disciples of John the Baptist. They were interested in righteousness, and they were seeking the Messiah. One day when John the Baptist pointed out the, “Lamb of God” (John 1:36), Andrew and John investigated further. They asked Jesus where He was staying and He said, “come and see” (John 1:39). It was not the conviction of John the Baptist that convinced Andrew and John to believe, but rather time spent with the Savior himself!

Friends were told to, “come and see” — Philip tried to tell Nathaniel that he had found the Messiah, but Nathaniel was skeptical: “can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Instead of arguing against the prejudices of the day, Philip merely said, “come and see!” What a lesson we could learn if we’d follow the example of the apostles themselves! Invite your friends to “come and see” Jesus.

Despised men were told to, “come and see” — One of the richest passages on belief is found in John 4. A Samaritan woman ran into her village exclaiming to her fellow Samaritans, “Come, see a Man who told me all the things I ever did! Could this be the Christ?” (John 4:29). The Samaritans, who were so despised by the Jews, went out to investigate the evidence for themselves. What they later say to the woman is especially telling: “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).

Jesus tells us to, “come and see”— The Savior stated His purpose this way: “for judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind” (John 9:39). Some people think they have all the answers. It’s hard to convince such people to, “come and see.” On the other hand, there are some pure and searching hearts out there, and because those hearts exist, God’s people ought to be extending Christ’s great invitation to all men: “come and see!”

Next week is a great time to ask your neighbors and friends to “come and see” what Christianity is all about. Invite them. Let them come and examine the evidence for themselves. People believe because God’s touches their lives through His word. Let’s make sure we give our friends the opportunities we’d like to have!                                                     — John Baker

“Preaching” is an ugly word to many these days. We use the word to describe someone on a soapbox, someone with an agenda, or someone who tries to unkindly force others to his viewpoint.

While I was on vacation and visiting at another congregation recently, my eyes were opened to the status many brethren give to preaching. We worshipped God in song, prayer, and took the Lord’s supper, but when it came time for the sermon, the preacher decided to “open the mike” for teens who had recently been to camp to share their experiences. After 20 minutes of camp testimonials, the preacher concluded, “well, I DID have a sermon prepared, but since we’re out of time…”

Had He been present in the flesh, Jesus would have preached. No “open mike,” no question about it. Is that not the point of His dialogue with Martha (Luke 10:38-42)? There are many things we could do in our worship assemblies, but God’s people ought to be interested in magnifying the Word more than anything else!

Fact is, preaching is not a dirty word. It is the means by which souls are saved. The inspired writer asked, “how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Rom 10:14). Again, he says, “It pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Cor 1:21). God places a high priority on solid, substantive preaching. And so should we! Consider what substantive preaching entails:

It is Christ-centered — “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). Paul was well-educated and could have spoken at length on a number of topics. Paul knew, however, that preaching that does not exalt Jesus Christ does not help people out of their sinful condition. Is Christ magnified in the preaching you hear?

It is relevant — Substantive preaching hits people where they are. Paul called God’s word the “dynamite” of God that brings salvation (Romans 1:16). In a world that believes the Bible is outdated and irrelevant, Godly preaching thunders forth the timeless messages of God’s love, grace, wrath, and judgment. Those themes are relevant and applicable to every generation (James 1:22)!

It builds hope — Old Testament prophets are famous for their predictions of doom and destruction. Prophets never left people without hope, however! Even Jeremiah, who was instructed to, “root out, pull down, destroy, and throw down” among the ungodly hearts in Judah, was also instructed to, “build and to plant” (Jer. 1:10). Godly preaching can and should convict us of sin, but preaching that leaves the sinner without hope is not properly exalting our Great Hope (1 Pet. 1:3).

It changes lives — Not everybody wants their life changed. Some want to have their ears tickled (2 Tim 4:3) and hear, “smooth things” (Isa 30:10). Godly preaching hits people between the eyes and causes them to see how much more like Jesus they really can be. You’ll never find that kind of power in a self-help book or a “Reader’s Digest” sermon. In the word of God lies the power to free you from sin (Jn 8:32). God’s word has the power to change your personality (2 Cor 10:4-5). God’s word has the power to make you like Jesus (Gal 2:20). How about the preaching you hear? Will it change your life? — John Baker

 A barometer is an instrument that measures air pressure. Weather forecasters can tell a great deal about the weather by reading a barometer. In like manner, Christians can tell a lot about the health of a congregation by reading several spiritual “barometers” of congregational health. The following is a list of “unsung” barometers that indicate whether a local congregation is heading in a direction the Lord would have it go.

#1 — Condition of Facilities — Whether we like it or not, the condition of a church building says a lot about a congregation’s attitude toward the Lord and His work. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah wrote to “wake up” their complacent brethren who had left the Lord’s temple unfinished (cf. Hag. 1:2-7). Obviously we realize that physical building facilities are not essential to practicing New Testament Christianity. However, the condition (neatness, state of disrepair, adequacy, etc.) of a congregation’s building facilities says a great deal about that people’s attitude toward the Lord and His work!

#2 — Quality of Children’s Bible Classes — Strong churches encourage strong Bible classes. God commanded ancient Israel to teach their children His word (Deut. 6:4-8). One of the very best ways to get a feel for a particular congregation’s health is to visit the children’s classes. Is the word of God being emphasized, or is it merely playtime?

#3 — Enthusiasm of the Deacons — Deacons are God’s special servant-leaders (cf. Phil. 1:1-2; 1 Tim. 3:8-13). Generally speaking, as the deacons go, so goes the local church. When deacons settle into a pattern of disinterest and inactivity, so will the members. On the other hand, when deacons are actively searching for opportunities to serve, it is a sure sign that the local church is on the road to good health.

#4 — Balance in Preaching and Teaching — Healthy churches have pulpits that emphasize the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). One barometer of the spiritual health of a local congregation is the extent to which the teaching is hobby-oriented. Some preachers and teachers have a “pet” issue that makes them sound like broken records. Truly healthy congregations (and Christians!) emphasize “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4).

#5 — Strong Family Units — Healthy congregations are not comprised of weak families. While realizing that all families have their struggles, healthy churches attempt to support and encourage Godliness in every home (cf. Eph. 5:22-6:4). How the 21st century church needs to teach more on the subject of marriage and the family!

#6 — Concern for Missionaries — It is impossible to read the New Testament without being tremendously impressed by the relationship between first century churches and their missionaries (for example, read Acts 13-20 and Philippians). Healthy churches support, remember, pray for, write, and visit the missionaries they have sent to preach the Gospel in far away places.

#7 — Spirit of Worship — The way a congregation worships says much about its attitude toward God (Jn. 4:24). Is there a sense of dullness or drudgery in worship, or does the congregation eagerly anticipate coming into the very presence of God (Ps. 16:11; Ps. 40:8)? Is the focus of worship on “what I can get out of it” or is the focus on expressing praise and gratitude to the God who has sanctified us?

What do these barometers say about the congregation where you worship? —JB

One of Jesus’ hardest and most heartbreaking sermons is found in Matthew 23. Intended to warn His disciples about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes, this plain message of rebuke surely must have made many hearers squirm in their seats – and it ought to make men today just as uncomfortable! Jesus repeatedly called upon people to turn to Him for righteousness, and Matthew 23 lays bare the hidden agendas and inconsistencies of those who are filled with pride and self-righteousness.

The problem with self-righteousness is that it always seeks praise and adoration for itself, rather than praising and adoring God. Thus, the self-righteous Pharisees, “did their works to be seen by men” (Matt. 23:5). The Pharisees were spiritual peacocks: strutting and preening for the dazzled crowds who looked to them as “spiritual giants.” Jesus said the Pharisees loved to have good seats at religious ceremonies and loved for people to refer to them as, “Rabbi” (Matt. 23:7-8). The Pharisees saw themselves as part of the prophetic tradition and also loved for men to call them “father” just as Elisha had called Elijah, “father” (2 Kings 2:12). So, in verses 8 through 10 of Matthew 23, Jesus forbade his disciples to call men, “rabbi,” “father,” or “teacher.” These titles were being used by the Pharisees to set themselves apart in a proud, ostentatious manner.

The question at hand is whether Jesus was categorically forbidding anyone to be called by these titles (rabbi, father, teacher). We have already seen that the Lord’s aim was to show His disciples that the Pharisees were hypocrites. Using these titles to refer to the Pharisees would accomplish two ungodly things. First, it would encourage the Pharisees in their pride. Jesus knew that nothing would take the wind out of their sails faster than people seeing them for what they were – fallible and unrighteous humans. Second, using these titles would be tacit participation with the Pharisees in their hypocrisy. These titles were claimed not as a matter of convenience but as a matter of self-exaltation. Jesus pointed out that He and His Father were the only Ones worthy of such exaltation (v.8-10). Thus, while it is always wrong to use a special title to exalt men in a religious sense, it would not be wrong to call your earthly father, “father” as a matter of love and convenience. Our motive is what makes the difference.

Today a great number of religious groups have formed a clergy-laity system that sets some men and women apart in a religious sense. The “clergy” are often regarded as “more spiritual” than the average person, and thus society has adopted the tradition of calling these people, “father,” “reverend,” “pastor,” “your holiness,” or myriad other religious names and titles. Is this not what Jesus warned against? In the New Testament church, Jesus is the only One with authority and preeminence (Col. 1:18). Since He is preeminent, there is no room for anyone else to be exalted! Preachers, elders, deacons, and Bible class teachers fulfill roles in the church, but those roles are always to be directed to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). Religious titles and expressions that are intended to exalt men rob Jesus Christ of the glory that is due His name. May God keep us from pride as we seek to honor and glorify Him alone! — JB

 Jesus never sat still. At the height of His popularity, when His “congregational” membership was at its peak, Jesus surprisingly moved on. “Let us go into the next towns,” He declared one day, “that I may preach there also” (Mark 1:38). Really, Christ’s sudden departure from a comfortable situation is not all that surprising when you consider that He had already left the comforts of heaven to dwell here as a man (Phil 2:6-8). It was His nature to leave His own comfort zone to reach the lost (cf. Luke 19:10). If a genuine love for the lost was powerful enough to move God from heaven to earth, shouldn’t it also move us?

Will you talk about the Gospel? — Jesus took every opportunity to introduce spiritual principles into discussions. He turned a discussion about well water into a conversation about eternal life (John 4:7-10). His presence at a funeral gave rise to a dialogue about the resurrection (John 11:23-25). He used a question about fasting to indicate His coming death (Matt 9:14-17). He related fishing to the saving of souls. He used the weather to talk about judgment to come. He took a coin and taught a lesson on obligations to government and to God. With Jesus, “small talk” always seemed to have a spiritual application! I wonder if we need to be more like Him in that respect. Some people can talk all day on any given subject, yet how often do we try to introduce spiritual principles into our conversation?

Will you work in Christ’s service? — Evangelism isn’t always easy, but think of the wonderful fruits! Just as Jesus had to leave a comfortable situation in order to reach others, so must we do something that feels a bit unnatural. Paul had to tell Timothy not to be afraid (2 Tim 4:7). Elijah ran from his responsibility when he was threatened (1 Kings 19:1-3). Even Peter allowed the opinions of the majority to influence his decision in denying Christ (Matt 26:69-75). Why do we think we are different? Teaching the gospel is going to evoke a reaction on the part of those who are taught. Some will receive the word gladly. Some will become angry. Still others will be saddened by the implications for their lives. Whatever their reaction, the fact remains: they need the gospel, too! We render ourselves ineffective in the cause of Christ when we stubbornly refuse to teach others — no matter how uncomfortable it may be!

Will you rely on God? — I am convinced that Jesus would not have accomplished His mission here on earth if His prayer life had not been what it was. Jesus, the Son of God, prayed more in one day than most people do in a month. That kind of time and energy in prayer shows a dependence on God like nothing the world has seen since. Teaching the lost must start on our knees — that’s the Lord’s example. He rose early in prayer (Mk 1:35) and continued through the night at times (Luke 6). Jesus conquered the cross in the garden of prayer (Matt 26:39). How can we teach others to rely on Him if we do not believe and practice such ourselves?

What will you say to others? — His word is powerful (Rom 1:16). It changes the lives of the vilest offenders (1 Cor 6:9). Why then do we worry so much about, “saying the right thing?” If it were up to us alone, it’s difficult to see how anybody could be saved. God’s word does the real work in evangelism, not us. We’re merely vessels to carry it to those in need. Jesus realized that people needed to be taught, and He refused to tell them unprofitable stories that entertained without enlightening. Let’s be committed to using God’s words as we reach out to those who need the gospel.                                                                                             — John Baker