Month: April 2011

Today in our study of Matthew’s gospel, we enter into a new phase of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. In the end of the ninth chapter, Jesus surveyed the multitudes and with compassion His heart was broken. The religious leaders that should have given the people wise counsel from God’s word had instead perverted God’s message and had left them in hopelessness burdened down with legalism. Jesus compared this to a flock of sheep that was scattered and left defenseless because there was no shepherd to guide them.

Looking again at the multitudes, He turned to His disciples and said, “The harvest truly is plenteous but the labourers are few” (9:38). Up to this point, Jesus was the main proponent of the gospel. He had visited all of the towns and villages of Galilee crisscrossing the sea numerous times to reach as many people as possible (9:35). But this was not to be His perpetual ministry because He came to the world to die for sin, and in a short time He would go to Jerusalem to be crucified. This meant that in the time He had left the ministry must change. The numbers of doomed unconverted sinners was too great for one person to reach, and even if He could do it all alone, the ministry would die with Him unless others were enlisted to carry it forward.

In verse 38, He told the disciples to pray that laborers would be found that would carry on the gospel ministry. Little did the disciples know how this prayer would forever change their lives! The ones that were told to pray would become the ones the Lord would send into the harvest. When they prayed, God would begin to burden their hearts for lost souls and they would respond with, “Here am I, send me.” In the tenth chapter, the transformation of ministry is made and the disciples go through their training course that would eventually cause them to turn the world upside down with the gospel (Acts 17:6).

This is the same response that God is seeking from the church today. Every member of our church has lost friends and family members. Our Wednesday night prayer page has a section devoted to the salvation needs of our loved ones, and each week I encourage you to pray that someone would go to these people and God would open their hearts to receive the gospel of Christ. If you earnestly pray for this, you will soon discover the person who must go is you. And further, God will extend the burden to others outside your circle.

In these next few weeks, our study in Matthew will concentrate on evangelism. We teach through the Bible verse by verse and since this subject is where the text takes us, we will approach it with all the same vigor and enthusiasm as we do other doctrines. Evangelism is the lifeblood of the church. We must have our compassion for souls revitalized so that we see the world headed for the harvest of judgment. Who will give them the gospel? Will it be you?

Pastor V. Mark Smith

This evening in our service the church will participate in our quarterly observance of the Lord’s Supper. It is always our privilege to come to the Lord’s Table in order to commemorate our Lord’s death and to reflect upon His promise that He is coming again. It is the responsibility of every church member to be present since we are commanded to observe the ordinance.

In the evening message, I plan to speak directly concerning the utmost care that was taken by the apostles to be sure everything for the Last Supper was exactly as Christ commanded. The night was a very important one because Jesus would give His last instructions to the disciples. The Gospel of John chapters 13-17 contain His powerful discourse, which words were indelibly pressed into the minds of eleven men who were given responsibility to proclaim the gospel to the world. Christ’s instructions were demanding upon their character. Their lives must be molded into His image; they must be one in heart and mind with Him, or else faulty character would damage the impact of their message.

In like manner, every Christian today must live as if he had been present in the upper room. We are the new purveyors of the gospel message. We have no less responsibility to heed the words of Christ and likewise be molded into His image that the gospel should not be hindered. The Supper is a solemn reminder of this duty. Paul said we must examine ourselves before we partake. Our hearts must be pure else we are “guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” Yet I wonder how often there is no preparation. I wonder what has taken place in the lives of many Christians on the day before the Supper. I wonder what conversations have been spoken, what language has been used, who and what are the subjects of those conversations?

Our practice is to begin the Supper with a silent prayer of confession. Sins must be confessed, but sins must also be forsaken. True confession contains repentance and a solemn promise not to repeat those sins. Will you partake of the Supper tonight and then return to the wickedness you practiced before? This is as much to be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. God knows your heart; He knows your sincerity and your intent.

I am convinced that we lack power with God because we are far too lax in our commitment. We are too much unconcerned about holy living. It is not a widespread problem for our church, but as in the case with the Corinthian church, one erring member can hinder God’s blessings on the entire body. Paul wrote, “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth”(1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Leaven represents sin, whereas unleavened bread represents sin purged from the individual and thus from the church.

I sincerely pray that you come to the Supper tonight with these thoughts in mind. Be prepared beforehand with a heart full of sincerity and truth.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

In this evening’s service, we are privileged to welcome Brother John Bunn into the diaconate of the church and to ceremonially induct him into office. There are only two offices of authority mandated by scripture for the church, the pastor and deacons, and both carry strict qualifications. Many times in New Testament churches it is hard to find men that meet the scriptural criteria, but this does not mean other men are not equally as spiritual or even more advanced in their knowledge of scripture. Even though this is true, we are bound by the Bible’s rule of faith and practice for our selection of men to serve in these offices.

The first deacons were chosen in Acts chapter 6 with a brief description of the type of men that should be considered. The apostles told the Jerusalem church, “…Look ye among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom ye may appoint…” (Acts 6:3). In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, more detailed qualifications are given with this added encouragement, “For they that have used the office of deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 3:13). With these two statements, we can see the value of the office for the church and for the man who assumes it. We are blessed with a man who will serve with honor, dignity, and faithfulness, and the man chosen is richly rewarded with further strengthening in his personal faith and walk with God.

In the history of the church, there have been many abuses of these two offices. The purpose for them has been misconstrued and some have taken them as license to become lords of the church. The scriptural example for duty was given by the Great Lord Himself. He demonstrated it by taking a towel and bowl of water and then bending down on His knees to wash the disciples’ feet. This vivid illustration was that of a servant. If the Lord and Master would humble Himself to the lowly task of washing feet, then those who are His followers should do no less. Interestingly, the word “deacon” is a transliteration of the Greek word diakonos which means “servant.” The first deacons were chosen to serve the congregation, not to control them, and not to usurp the authority of the apostles who served as pastors.

The foregoing is unquestionably true, but we must also remember that although deacons are servants they are neither to be abused. They are especially qualified, gifted, spiritual men. They are as fallible as each of us, but they do hold a special office in the church. As such, they must receive our respect and gratefulness. Our purpose in this ceremony tonight is to convey this respect. We will lay hands on John to show our approval; we will give him a right hand of fellowship to acknowledge the reception of his new ministry among us. As we do, we will glorify the Lord for His graciousness in placing such a capable man in this body of Christ.

I do hope each of you plan to attend our service this evening. Members should be present as always, but especially tonight. We are brothers and sisters in Christ; we rejoice together when a family member is honored.

Pastor V. Mark Smith