MESSAGE FOR WORSHIPPERS

“To heed the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you have not heeded)!” (Jer. 26:5 NKJV).

Jeremiah was told to preach to the Israelites who were coming to the Temple to worship. His message included a command from God, the compassion from God, and the censure from God.

Command from God - “Heed the words of My servants the prophets.” Like other prophets who had brought God’s Word to the people, Jeremiah was being used by God to exhort the people to “heed” the Divine message. The people were exhorted to listen and obey the Word of God. We still need that exhortation today. And while we must read, study and listen attentively when the Word of God is taught and preached, we must also obey the Word of God.

Compassion from God - “Whom I sent to you, both rising up early, and sending them.” God’s grace is seen in sending the prophets and in sending them early. He graciously warned the people of evil and gave them ample time to hear the message and repent of their sin. If men are lost, the fault is not with God. He has done much to provide for their deliverance.

Censure from God - “But you have not heeded.” Instead of hearing and heeding the Word of God, the people turned a deaf ear to God’s message. They had great spiritual privilege, but rejected the Word of God. There are many folks like that today: they will not read the Scriptures, will not attend church, and will not obey God’s Word. They live like the world not according to the Word. If we want God’s blessings, we must avoid this censure at all costs

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Christianity is worth little if it doesn’t change your life-style!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Disturbances

In Luke 21:9 we read, “When you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end does not follow immediately” (NASB).

Disturbances is the Greek word akatastasia (ἀκαταστασία = ak-at-as-tah-see'-ah). It is made up of two words; “a” the negative particle and “kathistemi” which means set in order Thus the word means disturbance, unrest, rebellion, insurrection, tumult, disorder.

Literally, it means without order or stability and thus has a basic meaning of instability.

In classical Greek akatastasia carries the idea of rebellion, riot, insurrection and disorder. In the Septuagint, akatastasia carries the idea of ruin. In the New Testament, akatastasia characterizes disorder and disruption. In 1 Cor. 14:33, the Bible warns against disorderly behavior, which stands counter to God’s nature since “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace”

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah would be the sin-bearer for mankind (Isa. 53:11)

New Testament Fulfillment – Heb. 9:28

Did You Know…

In the Bible it states that Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins for all time (Heb. 10:12).

Bible Quiz

What did John the Baptist say Jesus would baptize with?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: According to 2 Timothy, when shall “the living and the dead” be judged by the Lord Jesus Christ? “At His appearing and His kingdom” (2 Tim. 4:1)

Names of the Lord Jesus Found in the Bible

“Lion of the Tribe of Judah”

"But one of the elders said to me, do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals!” (Rev. 5:5; cf. Gen. 49:9-10 NKJV)..

1. Meaning – The Lord Jesus is David’s son.

2. Insights – The Lord Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies, being from the tribe of Judah and the lineage of David.

3. Related Titles – Son of David (Matt. 12:23).

Did You Know – Christian History

Kiyoshi Watanabe was born in 1890 in Nanataki, Japan. He was a Japanese Lutheran minister. Watanabe had become a Christian after his elder brother tossed the Bible at him, taunting him to figure out what it was about. Kiyoshi was spellbound by what he read.

For some reason, Watanabe was fascinated with words of the Bible. Although the stories of Jesus seemed far-fetched, one sentence would not leave him: “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of God's mouth.” However, there were no Christians in Nanataki, Japan that he could ask what the perplexing words meant.

Upon finishing high school, he was allowed to seek employment at a larger city nearby while he attended night school there. There he met Lutheran minister, Yamauchi, who explained the Scripture to him. Watanabe realized he must reject his family’s Buddhism. Surprisingly, his family allowed him to be baptized. His older brother refused to become a Christian but paid Kiyoshi’s expenses when he enrolled in a theological seminary.

In his first pastorate, Watanabe married Shigaru. When their first two children died of dysentery, they clung to one another and to the Lord for support. And then, shortly after giving birth to her fifth child, Shigaru died. Kiyoshi was devastated, but had long since learned to trust God. He did what no self-respecting Japanese father would do in those days: raised the baby himself.

In 1935 a sister in America offered him a chance to study at Gettysburg Seminary. Although it meant leaving his family behind, he found acceptance in the seminary where the students called him “John.” When he returned to Japan, he found his country preparing for war. The government tried to force all churches to unite into one state controlled denomination. When that didn’t work, it shut down Watanabe’s church in Hiroshima. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, he was called to act as an interpreter.

Watanabe was assigned to a prison camp in Hong Kong. Japanese cruelty horrified him. The first time he witnessed torture he was sick and fell on his knees in a bathroom sobbing and praying for God to help him. For being polite to prisoners, he was threatened with violence by his countrymen. At great personal danger, he smuggled medicines to prisoners. He saved part of his rations to help a hungry family outside the prison. When he refused to beat prisoners, he was sent to work at a prison hospital; when he was kind to the prisoners, he was sent to a work camp. Finally he was stripped of his uniform. He dared not tell his wife of his danger in the letters he wrote home. But he prayed constantly for them.

On August 6, 1945, Kiyoshi lost two more of his family. Across the ocean, a Lutheran chaplain prayed over the crew of the Enola Gay before it lifted into the air carrying the atomic bomb which destroyed Hiroshima. Kiyoshi’s second wife and oldest daughter were vaporized by that bomb.

A Little Humor

The pastor had a Band-Aid on his chin. While shaving, he had thought of his sermon and cut himself. After the sermon, a member said, “Why didn’t you think of shaving and cut your sermon?

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“The cross is the only ladder tall enough to reach heaven!”