Author: Berean Baptist

            The Old Testament is a book of covenantal laws that God established with the nation of Israel. Because of the law, many believe the Bible presents two methods of salvation depending upon the time the person lived. They assert that the Old Covenant required strict obedience to commandments and through these people could be saved. The impossibility of this is apparent because the human heart cannot produce any work that satisfies God or justifies him in God’s courtroom. Perfection cannot be born out of imperfection, and this is what God requires.

            In Old Testament worship, there is a forward-looking representation of the way that God would give perfection to a people that was perpetually breaking His laws. These were the laws of sacrifice that were emblematic of the payment to justice that God Himself would make. It would come through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God. He would earn righteousness by His perfect life and the merits of this perfection would be accounted to us through faith in this eternal sacrifice. For those marking doctrine in these statements, this is known as the imputation of Christ righteousness by faith.

            Since the sacrifices of the Old Covenant are forward-looking, they were never intended as a means of salvation. If I might put it this way, they were a placeholder of belief and forgiveness until the perfect sacrifice would come. The prophet Jeremiah declared the word of the Lord stating that Israel had repeatedly broken the covenant the Lord made with them. They were hopeless to be saved by obedience to laws because the human heart is incapable of keeping them. Though God was displeased and angry at their often forays into sin, still in His love and mercy, Jeremiah assured them God planned something better. A new covenant would come in which God would write His laws in their heart—not on tablets of stone—and He would be their God in the perfection of His holiness. God would forgive their wickedness and no longer remember their sins. This establishes that that Old Covenant believers were saved by grace just as we are today.

            It is important to understand that Jesus entering the world as a little baby is not a nice fairy tale story to recite to our children. The necessity of the birth of Christ was forged in the bloodiness of Old Testament sacrifices and in consequence of the blackness of human depravity. Thousands upon thousands of animals were killed as a temporary placeholder for forgiveness of sins. Christ must needs come to offer a better sacrifice, a once for all sacrifice that would satisfy the Father and end animal sacrifices forever.

            The book of Hebrews is the Bible’s definitive explanation of the need for the New Covenant. It says the Old Covenant sacrifices could never permanently take away sins and this is the reason for their constant repetition. A marvelous scripture in Hebrews speaks of the Old Testament tabernacle. It says Christ did not go into an earthy tabernacle made with hands to present His blood for atonement. Instead, He went into the presence of God into a far more exceptional sanctuary which is heaven itself. There He offered His blood and obtained eternal redemption for all who believe. Thus, never again does anyone need to offer an animal sacrifice. Today, our sacrifices are spiritual, and they magnify the eternal gift that God made of His Son.

            Is there law in the New Covenant? Most certainly. It is the law fulfilled by Christ. It is the perfection of the law in Him that saves us. We must lay down all efforts of our own or we diminish and profane the sacrifice of Christ. This is not the Old Covenant vs the New Covenant as if one was bad and the other good. No, the Old Covenant recognized the necessity of the incarnation as much as the New. The blessing for us today is that we have both the Old and New Testaments (covenants) to tell us marvelous truths about Jesus Christ.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

            In the last part of October, I preached messages in a three-part series entitled, Possessed by Possessions. This series was about contentment and how to be satisfied amid troubling times. The theme was how we are not to let any earthly gains or losses rule us and determine our happiness. The apostle Paul encourages us in Colossians 3 to set our affections on things above and not the things of this world. In Philippians 4, he tells us the things we are to think about so that troubles do not bother us and cause us to lose hope and be depressed. He says if we think properly, the God of peace will be with us.

            One of the major issues discussed in the series is the way money causes us to lose our focus on God. I want to return to this thought for just a moment to show how money can be the cause of more focus on God rather than the cause of losing focus. Our money can be turned into usefulness in the Lord’s service which causes us to look to God for ways we can help promote His kingdom. In an uncertain economy, many will hold back resources and put them securely away where we think they cannot be lost. We restrict our giving until we see a surer path that promises a secure future. The Lord warns that this will not work. Safe investments fail, savings accounts can be obliterated by catastrophic illness or accident, and a mattress or a hole in the ground is neither safe. Holding back tithes and offerings is not a way to build wealth.

            A few weeks ago, I read these lines in TableTalk magazine: “In truth, sometimes we fail to give because we fear that in giving, we will suffer net loss. Yet if the Lord Himself gives abundantly, we need not fear we will suffer lack when we give to help others with generosity.” Seedtime and harvest principles are taught in 2 Corinthians 9 which declare that it is impossible to lose with God. TableTalk further commented, “Paul has the material needs of impoverished believers in mind most significantly in 2 Corinthians 8-9, but the principle certainly applies beyond that. Our giving to the work of the church and the care of its members will always result in a net gain for us.” This is biblical truth which I challenge you to compare to the guarantee of the stock market or any worldly investment. An investment with guaranteed positive returns is usually a Ponzi scheme. Surely, we can see hording money with a promise it will secure us is the devil’s Ponzi scheme.

            Returning to my earlier premise, our money can cause us to focus on the Lord when we are determined to use it to help others and the church which He commissioned to accomplish His work in the world. The Lord promises to secure us and add to our wealth in immeasurable ways. As we place our offering envelopes in the plate, are we not focusing on the Lord as we worship Him? Our motivation of obedience in giving is not wrong if it also includes testing the Lord as our financial advisor. It is not wrong to focus on securing our financial well-being through this method. However, we do not advocate for a prosperity gospel or that the Lord any more promises expensive automobiles than your honest financial advisor does. The difference is the unfailing promise of net gain. As the old saying goes, you cannot outgive the Lord.

            How do we increase our thanksgiving as well? One last quote: “…we will be blessed far more than we can imagine when we seek to imitate the generosity of the Lord. This in turn will increase thanksgiving to God…” In conclusion, underline this in your Bible:

2 Corinthians 9:7, 9-11  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth forever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Our study of the church brings us to a core, critical issue which has been the purpose for God’s people from the beginning. He created us for His glory which is accomplished through our adoration and honor of Him. This is the concept of worship. God created us for worship.

                Earlier, we learned of the relationship between truth and worship. Worship is regulated by truth. Instead of our whimsical, emotional, personal feelings about worship dictating our practice, there is a divine prescription that must be followed for worship to be acceptable. Worship is not about us and how we feel. It is intended for us only as participants who put all emphasis on God within the parameters of the divine prescription.

                Today we look at another aspect of worship which strongly attracts my attention. You would imagine this is the case since we will discuss the preaching of the word. I believe preaching is our primary method of worship which makes the pastor the principal worship leader. Preaching the word is the church’s highest priority. Most think of singing when we mention worship and singing certainly has its usefulness and should be an important part of our services. Unfortunately, preaching is not often thought of as worship and thus is not often a priority. Think of how many churches have longer than an hour music programs with only a cursory twenty minutes devoted to a drama/devotion object lesson loosely based (maybe) on a scripture.

                Preaching is to herald or tell forth the word of God. The word is God’s self-revelation and is the way we know Him. It is the objective and only dependable revelation of the one true living God. Recently, I read a book in which the author claimed to reveal who God is and what He is like. His explanation was inconsistent with the statements God made about Himself. It was not the same as what Jesus, the Son of God and one with the Father, said. It was not the same God as preached by Paul and the apostles. God is made known through His word as faithful preachers read and expound the truth of the word in our worship services. God cannot be worshipped if we do not know Him.

                Gospel preaching does not only properly identify God, it also properly identifies us. Many want the Bible to confirm them as they are. Through misapplication of texts, through misinterpretation of Bible doctrine, and through misrepresentation of the teachings of Jesus, they believe the Bible will confirm their lifestyles. The love of God is the blanket they throw over their immorality to substantiate that God accepts everyone just as they are. The word of God is essential in our worship not to confirm us as we are but to convict us of what we are and conform us to what we should be. The word aligns us with God. It identifies us as sinners who are not accepted as we are but condemned because of who we are. The word changes us to reflect the righteous character of God. We cannot expect that a lifestyle disobedience will allow us to be welcomed into the same space as God. God does not love our character. He hates it and gave His Son to obliterate it through His sacrificial death. There is not a person on earth worthy to worship God. We must reject who we are and conform to His righteous standard. This is possible only by God’s grace which grants faith in Christ. Through the instrumentality of the word, the power of the Holy Spirit changes us from the perversion of our sin to the perfect righteousness of Christ.

                The third purpose of the word in worship is for our sanctification. As the word is preached, we see the differences between us and Christ. Worship is perfected and the worshipper is more conformed each time we hear it. You should be concerned how much you know about the word because without it you will not be like Christ. Consider this when you miss worship. You miss preaching that will make you more like Jesus.

                And then lastly and briefly, the word prepares you for Christ. Preaching is preparation for heaven. Paul said the word will build you up and give an inheritance among those who are sanctified (Acts 20:32). We must preach the word in our worship services, or we remain unprepared for Christ and with deficient knowledge of Him and the power of God.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

            One of the critical purposes of the church is to glorify God through worship. The gathering of the Lord’s people into a central location gives us opportunity for corporate worship in which our fellowship witnesses a greater expression of the duty of all to praise the Almighty God.

            The church and worship are so closely aligned that we often speak of these in synonymous terms. We have a familiar Sunday morning expression, “I am going to worship.” Who does not understand this to mean, “I am going to church?” Christians are instinctively geared to worship and thus we regularly attend church. Those who are absent are absent from corporate worship, an exercise ordained by God in recognition of His right to be glorified.

            Worship in the church is built upon the same principles as Old Testament worship. By this I mean there is a divine prescription that cannot be changed or ignored. Perhaps the earliest example is the improper sacrifice made by Cain. It fell outside God’s revealed parameters which were known by both Cain and Abel. God did not respect Cain’s sacrifice though he was sure by his own standard he gave his best. When God established Israel with His law at Sinai, He gave them a prescription for worship. God told Moses to make a sanctuary after the pattern he was given. The pattern which included the structure, the instruments for worship, the sacrifices, and the priesthood were shadows or types of worship in heaven. All were representative of the true sanctuary made by God. Moses could not change anything because the pattern represented unalterable truths of Jesus Christ.

            In like manner, we cannot expect that we are free to change worship from the divine prescription. The New Testament explains that certain acts of worship were ceremonial and temporary. These were fulfilled in the sacrifice of Christ so that we are not commanded to follow those patterns any longer. However, we are not left without direction. We are not free to substitute crucifixes, to make images of Mary, or of saints, or do any works that are prohibited by the commandments. The New Testament keeps these prohibitions in place.

            Examples of acceptable worship and prohibited worship are also found in New Testament scriptures. Paul regulated tongues in the church for the time they were still operable. He regulated the conduct of worship by restricting the officers of the church to males. He encouraged the reading of scripture, the frequent practice of prayer, and the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. We do not look for innovative ways to worship but follow the prescriptions given. The Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 remarks: “The acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imagination and desires of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representation, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.” (Chapter 22.1)

            These comments convey the idea of the need for caution in the way we worship. It must have a biblical pattern, or simply put, it is regulated by scripture. We are not free to introduce our own ideas. If this principle were always invoked, it would prevent us from many stupid acts that pretend worship when they are nothing but embarrassment to the very angels of God.

            We have much to discuss including the command to worship. Many Christians cannot be accused of wrong worship because they do not worship at all. To habitually absent oneself from church is not Christian. Christians instinctively worship. We are chosen, called, justified, and sanctified for the glory of God. He has His divinely prescribed an acceptable method for us to show our gratitude for His marvelous works. This is called worship.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

            With today’s message, we conclude our short series on the proper relationship between Christians and material possessions. In Matthew 6:24, Jesus said you cannot serve two masters. While I use the terminology “possessed by possessions” as the subject of my messages, the meaning is the same as what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. There is a master-slave comparison in which we are either ruled by Christ or by our personal desires. We cannot be “possessed” by both.

            When Jesus preached His sermon, He confronted people who were convinced material possessions were a sign of favor with God. This was not only a Jewish belief but is a natural assumption dictated by the depraved human heart. It is as if our relationship with God is quid pro quo. We achieve favor through works of righteousness and God rewards accordingly. Thus, the wealthiest people must have achieved their favor because they are more righteous than the poor. In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he warned against this by saying it is the corrupt mind destitute of truth that thinks this way. They suppose that gain is godliness while the truth is that material possessions too often cause us to fall into temptation and lead to destruction (1 Timothy 6:5-11).

            If material goods are a sign of righteousness, then most of church history is filled with unspiritual failures. Not many Christians are worldly wealthy and I have spent most of my Christian life fellowshipping with people who struggle with finances without achieving the bank account that many believe will rid them of the anxiety of being without financial security. Neither do many of these Christians care. Living one day at a time is enough security. They do not worry about tomorrow because they understand what Jesus said. The rat race to keep ahead of the neighbors is unnecessary. They have learned to be content with Christ and believe daily sustenance is sufficient. It is all they were promised and all they expect.

            As we look back through the centuries, we do not find that many Christians escaped the same economic, social, and political calamities that fell on others who never knew Christ. The same plagues of sickness in the Middle Ages killed believers and unbelievers alike. They were victims of the same world wars that brought destruction across the globe. They lived through the Great Depression with its stock market crash, the climate change of the dust bowl, the lack of food and skyrocketing unemployment. Christianity never promised we would escape these because it never needed to. Our faith in Christ is not about what we gain in a world that is sure to pass away. James said our lives are but a vapor that appear for a little time but soon are gone. If we invest ourselves in this world, we have a failed investment before we even think of speculating. This promise that the world’s system will end in a great conflagration is as sure as any promise God made.

            The scriptures continually warn about trusting in riches because of their enormous potential of diminishing faith in God. The more we have the less time we are apt to spend praying for what we need and being thankful for what we are given. Many Christians fail to understand that pain, suffering, economic hardships, and other disappointments are designed to be steppingstones of faith. We learn to trust God when we must trust God. Dr. R.C. Sproul was well-known for saying that believing in God is different from believing God. This is true for our justification and our sanctification.

            Trusting God rather than wealth yields at least four precious promises from our Lord. (1) All our needs are supplied – Matt. 6:33. (2) Freedom from anxiety – Matt. 6:25-34. (3) Contentment – Heb. 13:5 (4) Eternal life – John 5:24; 10:10. While history proves that Christians suffer many of the common ailments the worldly incur, there is nothing we take from the world that sustains the life that no one wants to surrender. “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we carry nothing out. (1 Tim. 6:7).

Pastor V. Mark Smith

            A few weeks ago, when I first began working on today’s message, I received an unexpected text from my daughter Clarissa asking about the requirement of tithing and whether it remains in effect for New Testament Christians. Apparently, she was challenged by someone who believes that tithing is part of the Old Testament law that was fulfilled with Christ’s death on the cross. Those who believe this say that we are no longer required to give the tithe but are now living under grace giving in which the amount given is determined only by personal conscience. While we do agree the good conscience of believers necessarily encourages giving, we also believe grace giving informs us of a higher standard than the law. Grace will never lead us to do less than the law required.

            There is no reason to argue for lesser requirements since it is God who providentially supplies everything we have. Deuteronomy 8:18 says it is God who gives us the power to get wealth. Even under the law the principle of cheerful giving and giving above the tithe was operable and was never expected to be a cause of complaint. Giving God the firstfruits and the best was acknowledgement that God Himself is always faithful to supply whatever He requires.

            One of God’s most surprising acts of providence was His method of providing the materials for the tabernacle. In months gone by, we have spent much time studying the magnificent demonstrations of Christian doctrines expressed through tabernacle worship. The theological implications are astounding but no less miraculous is the way God providentially supplied the costly physical materials for a ragtag group of slaves to make such a place of worship. Unless we are acquainted with divine intervention in the way Israel received this wealth, we would never believe the structure they built in the desert was possible. It would not have been without God since this group of wanderers had just left 200 years of bondage in Egypt barely accumulating more than a few animals and the clothes on their backs. How was it possible this place of worship would be awash in the finest gold, silver, and precious jewels that God required?

            We would not imagine the Egyptians whose economy was dependent on slave labor would pay their servants to leave and to get out as fast as they could. This is what happened after God thoroughly thrashed them by bringing upon them ten devastating plagues. This practically caused the Egyptians to chase them out to ensure their own survival. When Israel left in the exodus, God told them to ask the Egyptians to give them what they needed for their journey. Their former taskmasters complied with such bounty and favor that Israel was loaded down with all the goods God would later require. The purpose was unknown at the time, but this is how God’s providence works. In a few weeks, the purpose for these valuables was revealed.

            Rather than commanding Moses to force the people to give up their newfound wealth, God told him to ask for freewill offerings. They responded with such enthusiasm that Moses had to halt their giving. It was enough, and poor Israel kept the rest for themselves. This is surely an example for us. We should not be anxious for what we do not have. Is our God able to supply every need even from unexplained sources?

            In today’s message, we see another example. When Israel entered the Promised Land, their first conquest was Jericho. God commanded that all spoils of their victory should be brought to His treasury. Instead, one was greedy, and his disobedience was repaid with his life and the lives of his family. He lost more than he stole not knowing that in the next conquest all the spoils of victory would belong to the people. He only needed to trust God for what He could not see.

            These are good examples for our faith in never being anxious for our provisions. How much do we lack because we do not trust God’s providence? It is the corner that you have not yet turned that God asks you to trust Him for. He always knows the next step because He planned it. Unwavering faith permits us to take it without fear.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

            In last week’s article, I asked you to think on this statement: “It is good that there is evil.” The existence of evil is a mind-boggling concept for any thinking person whether a believer in God or an atheist. Christians fumble with it trying to explain how a good God could allow it while at the same time being sovereign and with absolute power to prevent it. The theological discipline that attempts to explain this conundrum and to justify God is called theodicy. We are too often set back on our heels when confronted with savvy atheists who believe they have exposed a massive hole in the consistency of believing in God, or at least the God of the Bible. Though we may not be able to provide a convincing argument for them, we ought not to think they have won the day by exploiting a perceived incompatibility in Christian doctrine. They are faced with their own unsolvable riddle—what is the basis and explanation of moral good? This cannot exist without God who is the objective standard.

            My purpose today is not to plunge us into this argument. I doubt whether you or I are adequately prepared to tackle the philosophical aspects of this topic, and indeed, the best minds throughout the centuries have never adequately settled its issues. While caught on the horns of an unexplainable dilemma, some choose to deny the existence of either good or evil as if they are Swiss philosophical neutrals. It is much easier to deny good than evil. We might be indifferent towards acts of kindness, but we are surely absurdly neutral towards senseless acts of violence.

            We wrestle with evil and whether we understand God’s reason to allow it to exist, we must conclude God’s decision was righteous, just, holy, and good. He acts in no other ways. His decision is right because He made it. If we approach evil this way knowing that God will protect and perfect us through it, we will accept it as the best way forward to make us like Him and thus the best we can be. Evil itself does not do this, but our righteous, obedient response to it does.

            This is an appropriate time to consider this question since the progression of evil in our country is quickly nearing the point that it will destroy the life American Christians have known for more than 2 ½ centuries. Destruction of basic religious freedoms are no longer theoretical. In 2015, Supreme Court justices asked if same sex marriage would eventually erode religious freedom. Government administration advocates arguing for it said it would. At that time, a more liberal court decided the erosion is acceptable. Because of this, the government pushes harder at the limits to ensure every evil succeeds.

We know that evil is a powerful force with ability to inflict pain and suffering that task us to our personal limits. It does not exist by itself but is perpetrated upon us by evil beings that influence the mind and toy with our natural depravity. Each of us is aware of our own propensities and our helplessness against it. We require supernatural help to resist evil and flee from it. Since this is an unceasing battle, each encounter with evil forces us back to God. In this we reach a modicum of understanding of at least one reason God permits it. We are not troubled by good and thus a perfect life in this world would not cause us to depend on God. It is good that there is evil because evil strengthens our faith in the only one who can help us overcome it. It is good there is evil because we are forced to communicate with God to plead for the power of His Holy Spirit. It is good there is evil so that we are brought near to God to enjoy fellowship that we would not so readily seek if not for the overwhelming need to seek contentment that only righteousness can bring.

While we do not seek evil that a seemingly greater good may come (Romans 6:1), we are not frightened by the prospects it will be too debilitating for us to handle. Sometimes it seems this way when the evil morass of this culture makes us feel like the disciples in the storm on Galilee. We shall not be overcome, and God will show His power as He always does. We will never be free from threats because in God’s providence, it is good that evil exists.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

. . . Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good . . .

(Romans 12:9b)

I often wonder what life would be like if Christ had not saved me as a young child and I had grown up without the hope of the gospel and the fellowship of God’s people. I do not understand how it could be bearable. Most of you were saved later in life and you have the experience of both worlds. Truly, I can say I have not, but I surely declare it without complaint.

             The evidence of God’s love is seen in many ways both tangibly and intangibly. The internal evidence is the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts while the external is in the acts of love and kindness we do in the name of the Saviour. When John the Baptist sent his disciples to investigate Jesus, he was seeking evidence that Jesus was the true Messiah. Jesus told these disciples to report to John about the miraculous ministry they witnessed: “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” (Matthew 11:5). This is the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. We need not be Bible scholars to assess that Jesus’ ministry was about caring for and helping people. This was not the modern social gospel for His ultimate purpose was the salvation of souls not feeding, clothing, and physically healing. Jesus said, “the gospel is preached,” which was the good news of salvation from sin, death, and hell through repentance from sin and faith in Him. This was the same message John preached. Jesus told John’s disciples to report that He was doing good for the people both physically and spiritually. He cared for them, and the kingdom He promised was one characterized by love and compassion for the whole person. This is taught throughout the New Testament from Jesus’ commendation of those who give a cup of cold water in His name to those who bear another’s burdens, and thus by Paul’s encouragement, fulfill the law of Christ. We are most like Christ when we care for other’s souls and then commit ourselves to their welfare. I could spend hours telling you how this characteristic of Christ’s kingdom has displayed itself in the past few weeks in my own home.

            I have written much without expressing my main thought for this article. I now find myself without space to finish what I intended for you today. Let me give you a few thoughts which I hope to conclude in the next article. These came to me while contemplating the existence of evil in the world and the constant conflict with it that we as God’s people are engaged. None of us has a completely satisfactory explanation for the reason evil exists. How did a good God allow for the introduction of evil into His creation? Because He did, some insist He can neither be good nor omnipotent, and thus not God. This sets the course for endless arguments to justify God while contemplating what seems to be impossible contradictions. This is known as theodicy which is the branch of theology that defends God’s goodness and justice in the face of the existence of evil. Justifying God is an enterprise that must be reverently undertaken with the cautious understanding that we are woefully inadequate with our finite sinful minds to probe even the bare beginnings of the mind of an infinite God. Nevertheless, the scriptures never demand we abandon all inquiries and park our brains without contemplating theological issues that defy complete understanding.

            Since I am out of space, I want you think on this statement for the next few days: “It is good that there is evil.” I will help you get you started. Reflect on what we believe about the sovereignty of God. You will begin to come to grips with it even though you may not completely understand how and why it is true. This much I am sure of without argument—we cannot begin to measure the goodness in the grace and mercy of God without admitting the abject evil that exists in each of our hearts (Matthew 15:19). We do not begin to understand the magnitude of God’s goodness without acknowledging the depths of our depravity. This is a great mystery. How are we now able to do that which is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour (1 Timothy 2:3)? Indeed, this is a mystery greater than the existence of evil.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

            You may remember a few weeks ago I wrote an article referring to a book given to me by my daughter Clarissa. We had just returned from a visit to Kentucky where I observed her tireless efforts trying to raise a flock of sheep with all the difficulties involved in such an enterprise. This is especially true for a novice without experience raising animals or managing a farm. I admire the work she does mostly because of her determination to make every encounter with her animals a learning experience that will teach her in some way a lesson about her relationship with the Lord.

            The book she loaned was A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller. I remembered saying in the first article that I might return to the book for more insight from this man who took his experiences raising sheep to help exposit the 23^rd Psalm. While searching for bulletin material, I decided to open the book again not expecting to find a few sentences that seemed congruent with the exact political and moral climate of today’s life in America. I kept in mind that the book was written in 1970 and my gleanings from his thoughts were probably more than he intended. I am sure he would agree that truth is timeless and human experiences do not radically change no matter how much time goes by.

            With this introduction, what is the thought that arrested my attention? I quote: “Our thoughts, our ideas, our emotions, our choices, our impulses, drives, and desires are all shaped and molded through the exposure of our minds to other people’s minds. In our modern era of mass communication, the danger of the ‘mass mind’ grows increasingly grave. Young people in particular, whose minds are so malleable, find themselves molded under the subtle pressures and impacts made on them by television, radio, magazines, newspapers, and fellow classmates, to say nothing of their parents and teachers.

            “Often the mass media that are largely responsible for shaping our minds are in the control of men whose character is not Christlike, who in some cases are actually anti-Christian. One cannot be exposed to such contacts without coming away contaminated.”

Since most of you probably have not read the book and do not know the context of this quote, what is the thought that immediately crosses your mind? How is this relatable? We can excuse the references to radio, magazines, and newspapers since time and technology have mostly erased these forms of communication to be replaced with social media apps and many others that I am too old to know or care about. I resist being political, but I could not escape how the media has shaped the public mind on vaccines, Black Lives Matter, LBGTQ++++, women’s rights, etc. We truly have succumbed to the “mass mind” referenced in this book. The public is molded in the direction of the liberal media by the unrelenting repetition of anti-Christian themes. In this satanic disposition, a new mass morality arises (rather, the same old human nature). It is immoral not to be vaccinated. It is immoral not to believe critical race theory. It is immoral not to accept that all white people are inherently racist. It is immoral not to acknowledge the personal pronouns of perverted people. Amazingly, it is immoral not to kill babies when caring for them would be quite bothersome to career choices.

            The indoctrination is unceasing, and the herd apparently has no immunity. Our society is spiritually infected with worms and scabs and every pestilence that plagues a shepherd trying to raise a healthy flock. The enemy of this “mass mind” is the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the only salve that will heal the sin-sick mind. The Lord asks, “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there?” The question is rhetorical. You are here today to hear the answer. Be thankful you are privileged to hear truth that is unchanging and yet long since obscured by those playing a dirge for the spiritually dead. Change the channel! Delete the apps! Open your Bible to hear the only message that will grant immunity to those who have too long listened to the mass media that preaches to the mass mind. Though this herd in this church is much smaller and of lesser influence than them, we serve the Lord whose morality saves us eternally.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Casting all your cares upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

            A few weeks ago, I had a brief conversation with one of our members as she left after a service. We were discussing bulletin articles and she thanked me for writing the articles each week. This was very encouraging because I am often not too sure whether these articles are read or they are simply a slick lining for the bird cage. I thanked her for the comments and remarked that these articles are one of my most difficult tasks each week. Usually, the article is additional commentary on the weekly sermon and may have a few thoughts that I did not plan to address. This type of article is in some measure less difficult to write because my mind is already focused on the Sunday subject. I do not need to invent a topic. It is also personally helpful as I reach more clarity on the subject I will preach.

            Other articles are often like this one. I wrote this when not preaching and while recovering from surgery. I did not have a sermon to lean on for bulletin material and a subject that needs more expansion. Neither do I want to merely fill space because there is room for it as a weekly feature of your handout.

            After thinking for a good while and staring at blank paper, I decided to tell you about needing encouragement while waiting for surgery. This article was written two weeks before the event, and quite honestly, my mind was filled with the positives and negatives of it. Additionally, it was a day that Pam wasn’t feeling well, and I was waiting to hear news from the Emergency Department. Earlier, I left her there for treatment. Because of the COVID surge, they would not let me stay with her. This provided one more reason that made writing so difficult.

            To be truthful, the blank thoughts problem had gone on for quite some time and was not confined to this one day. Since I was first told I needed surgery, I was resistant, and the wheels were turning but I was going nowhere. For several weeks, I was preaching in pain and trying to study while taking pain pills. If I said some strange things (stranger than usual), those statements were inspired from pill bottles.

            The brief experience I want to share is the method of finding encouragement. I felt my mind was wasting too much time in the fog which prevented spiritual growth and close communion with the Lord. Every night I pray before bed but neither does prayer mix well with pain medications. I needed something different while at the same time both soothing and encouraging. I laid in bed wearing my headphones so as not to disturb Pam. I set a random selection of hymns to play not realizing that the playlist had at least five artists/arrangements of the hymn His Robes for Mine set to repeat. I listened to the song multiple times and yet still hanging on every word. I cannot explain how pain, exhaustion, discouragement, and anxiety disintegrated as I heard countless times, “I cling to Christ, and marvel at the cost: Jesus forsaken, God estranged from God. Bought by such love, my life is not my own. My praise—my all—shall be for Christ alone.”

            There is a line in the song I am sure makes no sense to many: “Jesus is crushed, and thus the Father’s pleased.” And then in the end, “He, as though I, accursed and left alone; I as though He, embraced and welcomed home!” I went to sleep peacefully with this thought: “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your mind.” (Hebrews 12:3).

Pastor V. Mark Smith