The Heaton File

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:1-2)

The Ephesian Family

Writing from a Roman prison, the apostle Paul exhorted the saints to whom he wrote to enjoy the manifold blessings of the Father through Jesus Christ and the spiritual blessings afforded by the grace of God. The letter called the Ephesians is a wonderful declaration of the eternal plan of God to redeem man through the sacrifice of His Son. Found in the covenant of Christ is the mercy of a loving Father allowing men to come before Him and receive forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. The letter of Ephesians is a powerful demonstration of the nature of the church, the body of Christ.

As Paul unfolds the mystery of the gospel, he includes a very important part of the plan of God in the unity of the one body. A new man emerges from the ashes of carnality putting off the old man of a corrupt mind and becoming the image of a new man created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. The church is vital in its part to proclaim the gospel, establish true worship and carry out the mission of the Lord. One of the most important features of the one body is the nature of the family. The new man walks in unity and in love and as children of light those in the body of Christ walk in a pattern of wisdom. All of this is seen in the relationship of the Ephesian family that describes the actions of the wives, husbands, children and fathers. The one faith Paul speaks about in his letter is evident through the lives of the individual saints that present themselves as proper examples of godly women submitting themselves to their own husbands, as to the Lord. Men rise up to meet the challenge of being the spiritual leaders of the family as the head of the wife using Christ as their example and guide. Like the relationship of Christ to the church, husbands love their wives and nurture them. The Ephesian family is built upon the spiritual foundation of a man and woman following the diving pattern of headship and submission.

The Ephesian family is made up of children who obey their parents in the Lord, because that is the right thing to do in the eyes of God. They give honor to their parents through the godly example they see in the father and mother who set a pattern of truth before them as husbands and wives. Again, the spiritual leadership of the family is rooted in the work of the father who is leading his family in the training and admonition of the Lord. Fathers are not provoking their children to disobey the Lord. They are encouraging them to serve the Lord with all their heart, soul and mind. The Ephesian family is established by putting on the whole armor of God and allowing the power of God to fill the lives of husband, wife and children.

Reading the epistle of Ephesians is a complete message of how the family of God should be the family among men. The psalmist reminds us that unless the home is crafted by the hand of God, they labor in vain who build it. There is no greater need in the world today for men and women to take their place in the home as designed by the Lord in showing the powerful message of the mystery of Christ to a lost and dying world. The home should be the beginning beacon of truth, holiness and righteousness. Women should submit to their husbands as the Lord has commanded. Men should take the role of spiritual leader of their home serious not only as the spiritual leader of the woman but the spiritual guide of the home in teaching the children. Young men and young women should respect the role of the parents in the training they give according to the word of God. The model of the Ephesian home should be the model of my home.

Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. (Mark 1:21-28)

He Was Famous

There was a time in the life of Jesus where He enjoyed a good measure of fame. The meaning of fame is to be well known or enjoy the status of a celebrity. Nazareth never would have a son whose fame would be as great as Jesus. As a teacher, He had no rivals. The people recognized the message of Jesus was clear, demonstrative and with authority. They had long heard the scribes and rulers expound upon the law but only to the glory of themselves. Listening to Jesus the multitudes were touched by the clarity of His message. Truth was on every word. He challenged the religious rulers and those who feigned worship to God for self-glory. The man from Nazareth never shied away from controversy confronting the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Jesus became famous as a man who spoke plain and true without contradiction. Multitudes flocked to Him to hear a style of teaching they had not heard before – and they were moved by it.

The miracles of Jesus brought Him more fame. There was nothing that could not be healed or mended. Blind people were made to see, the deaf to hear and the lame to walk. Jesus raised the dead, cast out demons and calmed the storm. No man had ever shown such power as the man from Nazareth. The Jewish rulers who sought to catch Him in His words never denied the miracles. On one occasion the fame of Jesus was so great the people sought to make Him their king. Jesus slipped away from them. All of His teaching and the exercise of His Father’s power on mortal man made Him a celebrity of high visibility. Jesus was famous. But that is not why He came to earth.

Fame is fleeting. Solomon declared the transitory nature of fame in his thesis on life. Jesus could have been the king of all men on earth serving their needs of miraculous healing, stern teaching and acts of kindness. For a time He was probably the most famous person on earth. He could heal everything and no man could resist Him. This would have been a great temptation Satan used to bring the Son of God down but He resisted the desires of the people for the purpose of His Father. The only reason Jesus came to earth was to fulfill the work of the eternal plan given to Him by God and the precarious fame of men would not dissuade Him in His work.

Jesus came to die on a cross. The fame He enjoyed would be wiped away when the crowds screamed, “Crucify Him, crucify Him.” Forgotten were His miracles of love and grace. The mountain top sermons and the long discussions of virtue, righteousness and truth were gone as the mobs demanded His death. His fame had been turned into a cross. The glory of man’s nobility was now hanging on a cross in shame. No one thought Him famous. He was a criminal sentenced to the worst death known to man. The crowds no longer flocked around Him to be healed or to hear a word of authority. Jesus of Nazareth was not the proud son of the carpenter’s town but the disgraced son of Joseph and Mary who had been crucified for certain crimes. And then Sunday came.

Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?” Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. (John 7:14-18)

Seeking The Glory Of The One

The testimony of Jesus was a very clear demonstration of the power of God yet many remained confused as to who Jesus really was. Some called Jesus a good man but others thought Him to be a deceiver. His teaching contradicted what was known of His education because Jesus was not a man of letters or an educated man. He confounded the teachers at the temple when He was twelve years old without the benefit of formal schooling. Often the Jewish leaders sought to trap Jesus in His teaching but to no avail. The Jews marveled that an uneducated man could be so versed in the Law and Prophets without the recognition of an education. Jesus was truly an unusual man.

What made the teaching of the man from Nazareth so powerful was the words He spoke were nothing more than the words of His Father. All Jesus taught came from the will of God. He was sent by His Father to teach the things concerning the salvation of man’s soul. Every word came from the mouth of God. Jesus never took it upon Himself to say anything that did not proceed from the throne of His Father. All the Jews had to do to be pleasing to God was to follow the words spoken by Jesus because everything He said came from God. It may have been the simplicity of the message that challenged the people of His time but Jesus only said what His Father instructed Him to say.

The contrast in Jesus day was demonstrated by the teachings of men and what He taught the people. There was a clear difference in the manner the Jewish leaders taught the people and the authority of Jesus in His teaching. Listening to the words of Jesus, the people recognized He spoke with authority. Jesus observed when men seek their own will they will speak words that befit their own agenda. Many will boast of great swelling words to draw attention of the people to themselves but this is not the case when speaking the words of God. More often than not, teaching the wisdom of God brings affliction and a need to change. The words of men are nothing more than a false façade of wisdom while the words of God are true. Men speak to gain glory from others. Speaking only the words of God gives glory only to the Father.

There is a need for this lesson to be shown to the world. Religions abound that give glory to men rather than God. People are easily deceived into believing the lie of those who speak great swelling words of so-called wisdom without seeing whether the words come from God. The Lord has given all men the ability to read and understand His words yet few men do. Paul told the Ephesian saints they could read and understand his knowledge of the mystery of God because the only thing the apostle taught was the word of God. Standing on the promise of God’s word will never bring a teacher into conflict with the word of God. Preaching the word and the word only will declare the glory of God to men. Changing the words of God to fit the wisdom of men will bring glory to man. Jesus only taught the words of His Father. His authority came from the authority of God alone. How can we do any less? Read the Bible and establish the words of God as your pattern of authority and guidance. Reject the wisdom of men and accept the will of the Lord.

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:16-18)

The Church Of Christ

In a world divided by religious mixtures of changing faiths, the New Testament church is hard to find. Terms that once declared simple truths have changed to describe a host of things far from the original meaning. Satan has been very busy in camouflaging the unique character of the divine kingdom convincing the world worship to God is a matter of choice dependent on the personal values and taste of the individual. Often Satan is more successful in deceiving the minds of men by allowing them to believe in God but to offer a transitional view of how to worship the Lord. He convinces the multitudes that calling on the name of the Lord will save them without following His will. Surveying any community it is unmistakable the variety of churches that dot the landscape taking different names, creeds, practices and faith – the scheme of the devil has been very effective in creating religious confusion.

What is the church of Christ? Many outside the church (and inside the church) see the “Church of Christ” as a denominational body no different than the thousands of other churches in the community. In part this would be true as denominational concepts have crept into the New Testament church creating a world of man-made religion no different than the creations of men. Examining the teachings of the Bible is where the church should always plead for authority, design and structure; regardless of how things have been done the past fifty years or who began what church in what place. Biblical authority comes from the authority of the Bible and nothing else. The church of the New Testament is a very unique and special formulation of divine origin and purpose. Man would do well to look to the pages of God’s word to see the pattern of His divine word in what the church belonging to Christ must be.

The church of Christ is the body of Christ representing those who are called out belonging to the Son of God. Paul describes the church as the “bride of Christ,” “kingdom of Christ,” “family of God,” a “building” and a “flock.” When Paul was persecuting the church he went looking for those who were of “the way.” All of these are terms describing the function of the church. The church of Christ is undenominational in character because there is only one body or one church with one faith, one Lord and one God and Father. Writing to the saints in Corinth, Paul called the body the “church of God.” To the people in Thessalonica he called them the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. A close study of New Testament scripture exposes the fact there is no “official” name for the church Jesus died for as each name describes a particular nature of the church.

Why is it fitting to call the church by the name of Christ? It is proper to refer to the church as belonging to Christ because He built it and bought it with His blood. Christ is the foundation of the church and the only head and savior of the body. Bible authority demands the church of Christ be referred to as belonging to Christ. The bride of Christ belongs to Christ. Man-made churches exalt some man in name rather than Christ! The church in the New Testament is never referred to as the Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Nazarene, Episcopal, or Roman Catholic Church. Paul does refer to the churches of Christ in Romans 16:16. Reading the Bible is not a difficult task and finding the truth is just as simple as reading about it in the word of God. If it is not in the Bible it is created by man.

The church of Christ is not a denomination and it is not a building. Alexander Campbell did not start the church and there is no man that is the head of the church. The church of Christ is a 2000 year old body of people who belong to Jesus Christ as given by the pattern of the New Testament! Every pattern of the church today must follow the arrangement of the church found in the New Testament. Anything less and anything more is a perversion of what Jesus said He would build. He built the church. The church is built on the foundation that He is the Son of God. Thank God for the church that belongs to Jesus Christ.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Gentleness

One of the triad of temptations is the pride of life. Angels smile when men exalt themselves as gods in vaulted pride for the hypocrisy of their station. Created lower than angels, the human man has always destroyed himself by elevating his self-worth to be something it is not. There is a feeling of value when pride fills the heart that man is the superior creature of all. The spirit of the Christian is in stark contrast to the arrogance of carnal man as he abides in the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Gentleness is meekness and one of the most powerful characteristics of God’s children. It does not come naturally and must be learned through patient meditation on the word of God. Taking the fruit of the Spirit demands changing the outlook of self to a need for the saving grace of a loving Father.

Gentleness towards others begins first with the heart humbled by the present need of mercy. Sin has cast all men down. Salvation cannot come from man. Through God’s love redemption is found in Jesus Christ. The sacrifice of the Son of God creates a heart filled with the knowledge that only by the grace and mercy of the Lord God is there hope, joy and peace. Meekness or gentleness is the knowledge of man’s inferiority to the grace of God. For carnal man weakness is implied because he wants to be his own god. The outgrowth of a humble spirit toward the Father changes the pride of man to a love for God. A gentle spirit knows the worth of man. He carries this feeling in his relationship with others.

The fruit of the Spirit is gentleness as all men share in the need for grace. Jesus died for everyone. All men have sinned. Arrogance and pride toward others defeats the purpose of the sacrifice of Jesus. In the Christian graces meekness is adapting a spirit of grace toward others and seeing the need of the other man is as great as our own. Submission to God shows itself in submission to others. Being obstinate and self-reliant with a headstrong impetuosity toward others is not the character of God’s people. The prideful badge of courage in the carnal world is shameful for those cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Gentleness is what makes the Christian stand out as the light of the world or the seasoning power of salt. A meek spirit loves all men seeking their eternal welfare. The two men who went up to pray exhibit the problem with pride and the joy of meekness. One man bragged how he was not like other men and boasted of all his deeds. The justified man would not so much as lift his eyes to heaven declaring himself a sinner seeking the mercy of God. Courage is found in the spirit of gentleness and meekness.

All of the fruits of the Spirit are tempered by gentleness. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control come from a heart that bows in thanksgiving for the eternal mercy and grace of God. Because of the kindness of God toward man, the fruit of the Spirit brings forth a meek spirit dependent on the overshadowing power of God’s presence. The character of the gentle Christian is seen in their speech, attitudes and actions toward their fellow man. Far removed is the ugly spirit of arrogance and pride. The body of Christ would do well to implement the teachings of the Lord with meekness towards one another. Peace comes from meekness. Joy is found in the gentle spirit. Achieving a longsuffering and faithful heart comes from the fertile fields of a meek and quiet spirit. Gentleness. Try it. It will change your life.

And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: “Everyone of the children of Israel shall camp by his own standard, beside the emblems of his father’s house; they shall camp some distance from the tabernacle of meeting. (Numbers 2:1-2)

Order In God’s Plan

The population of Israel when they left Egypt has been suggested to be around two million souls. Managing this kind of crowd would be an immense undertaking. The exodus from Egypt included 603,550 twenty years old and above, all who were able to go to war. Adding the number of all other adults and children would swell that number to an incredible amount of people to move from one place to another. The crossing of the Red Sea must have been a sight to behold as they passed through the sea in one night. As the Hebrews made their way to Sinai the inhabitants of the land would have feared such a large body of people moving through their land. In a very literal way, a complete nation was on the move to the land of Canaan.

God is not the author of confusion and like His beautiful design in creation; He establishes a pattern of order to facilitate the needs of the people. Reading of the travels of Israel and especially the forty year wanderings, it should not be lost on the reader the immense crowd of people requiring food, water, clothing and every day logistics to care for their needs. A nation was on the move. God’s will includes a pattern of organization that will bring unity to His purpose and design. When the people of Israel moved from place to place, they did so according to their tribes. Everyone camped by his own standard according to their fathers house. The tabernacle of meeting was in the center of the camp and all the tribes encircled it according to the plan of the Lord. On the east side the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun camped. To the south Reuben, Simeon and Gad. On the west side of the tabernacle Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin placed their tribes. Finally on the north flank the tribes of Dan, Asher and Naphtali completed the plan. The Levites would encircle the tabernacle all around as buffer between the people and the tabernacle. They camped by their standards and broke camp, each one by his family, according to their fathers’ houses.

When it was time to leave, the standard of the camp of Judah (including Issachar and Zebulun) set out first followed by the tabernacle carried by the sons of Gershon and Merari. Then the standard of Reuben (Simeon and Gad) followed with the Kohathites carrying the holy things with the standard of Ephraim (Manasseh and Benjamin) taking their place. The rear guard of all the camps included Dan, Asher and Naphtali. This was the order of march of the children of Israel, according to their armies, when they begin their journey. The cloud of the Lord was above them by day to guide them. And they followed in the order prescribed by the Lord set forth as a pattern of His will. Design. Purpose. Unity.

The New Testament church is built upon a pattern of the unity of God’s will. Corinth is an example of how the Lord designed the church with order and purpose. It may not be as evident on the surface but when the saints at Corinth left the pattern of authority confusion became the norm. Their worship services were filled with chaos and disorder. During the days of miraculous gifts, the early Christians were making the worship of the Lord to be a contest of superiority and competition. Paul emphasized in his letter to Corinth that God was not the author of confusion but of peace. The apostle stated that all things should be done decently and in order. This hearkens back to the manner Israel was organized and how the Lord demanded His will to be followed in a design of order. Too often men have made the worship of God to be a place of raucous pandemonium believing this is a pattern of worship. It does not suggest that worship should be dull and without feeling. Quite the contrary as Jesus told the woman at well that worship to God must be in spirit and truth. There must be spirit in worship according to truth but there must be order and pattern in that worship.

A study of the Corinthian problem finds that when men follow the pattern of God there will be edification and knowledge leading to salvation. When men do not follow the pattern of the Lord they rebel against authority. The children of Israel had no choice about who went first and who followed. As far as we know they followed this pattern throughout the forty years in the wilderness. The church of today must follow the pattern of unity prescribed in God’s word and resist the temptation to go beyond what is written. There is no authority but that given by the one who ordained, organized and prescribed its worship according to His divine plan. Worship must be filled with the spirit of God. It must be done decently and in order. That is the will of God.

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)

Bring Your Children To Jesus

The Lord was a very busy man. His schedule was exhausting; His work intense and between His teaching, healing, exhorting and traveling it is difficult to see where the Son of God had time to lay His head. In all of this hectic day to day schedule it is overwhelming to see that He had time for children. The disciples did not think He should be bothered. Parents brought their children to Jesus to be blessed by Him and the disciples considered this as frivolous for such a man as their Master. Imagine the scene of these children being led to Jesus and people rebuking their parents for wasting the Lord’s time. How disheartening that would have been to a mother and father who only sought the blessing of this kind man who blessed everyone. The disciples did not think children were important enough to bother Jesus. They had it in their minds what Jesus would do and what He needed and they took charge of the problem. “Go home and do not bother the Lord,” they may have said. Jesus would not have it. Instead He rebuked His own disciples and was greatly displeased with them. The text suggests that Jesus was moved with indignation or became angry with His disciples.

Jesus is God, creator of the world and savior of men – and He wants to spend time with children. Little children are brought to Him and He takes them in His arms (can you see that) and He blesses each and every one of them. He laid His hands on them. The hearts of the mothers and fathers must have been bursting at the seams. Jesus uses the moment to remind His misguided disciples that children represent the character of the kingdom. They are humble, kind and full of love. Such are those who will be in the kingdom of God. It was a power point moment of instruction for those who did not see the value of children being blessed by the Lord. The parents were thrilled because He took time for them. Another lesson Jesus taught that day was to remind parents how important it is to bring children to God. Casting aside the rebukes of the disciples, the children were blessed when Jesus took them in His arms.

Parents must bring their children to Christ. They will not come on their own. The families in this story knew the value of bringing their children to the Lord to receive a blessing from Him. So often in the Lord’s church today parents see no purpose in bringing their children to Bible class or worship. One of the great blessings we have is the opportunity to have classes for children throughout the week. This has not always been the case in the centuries since the church began. Because of transportation, facilities and time, there are more opportunities to teach the Bible than ever before – and we are doing less with our time. Many parents in the church today will not bring their children to Bible class. To them it is not important. Bringing them to worship service is even more sporadic. If they bring them on Sunday morning they will not bring them on Sunday night or Wednesday night. When a special series of lessons are being conducted they will not bring their children. If the church is engaged in a work to encourage the young people parents do not see the value. Why should they grieve when their children grow up and have no interest in God? They learned that from mom and dad.

We teach our children what is important. The Bible classes are a wonderful addition to help a child learn about the Bible. Gathering with the saints on the first day of the week is not an option but a command. Parents who seldom attend worship services are teaching their children God is not important and they will grow up without God and die without God. This is only systemic of what happens in the home: there is no teaching of God in the home. It must be remembered that Bible classes are an addition to a child’s spiritual growth, not the totality. Children learn to love the Lord when they see that and hear that in the home the other six days of the week. Sending a child to Bible class alone will not teach them to love God. Why would a parent refuse to bring their child to Christ? They do not teach them in the home, they do not bring them to Bible class and they attend services so little the children are bored to tears with God.

Jesus wants us to bring our children to Him! Parents need to wake up and understand the eternal consequence of not bringing their children to the Lord. If a parent is not bringing their children to the Lord they are taking them to Satan. The parents in the days of Jesus wanted Him to bless them and He did. Nothing is of more lasting value than bringing our children to Jesus. It is heartbreaking when parents wring their hands in grief over their children who leave the Lord and refuse to obey the gospel when the blame is squarely upon the shoulders of those same parents who refused to set an example of faithfulness in bringing their family to God. Parents listen to the word of God – you will reap what you sow!

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:35-38)

The Compassion Of Jesus

Jesus was doing everything He could to help the multitudes that came to Him. He taught them the words of His Father and proclaimed the good news of the kingdom. The people needed to hear a message of hope in a world given over to religious bureaucracy, hypocrisy and tradition. His teaching astonished the people. Multitudes flocked to His healing power finding the man from Nazareth could heal every disease and sickness. Each person received personal attention from Jesus. The lame were made to walk again and the eyes of the blind were opened. Maladies of the body were taken away by the healing power of Jesus. Lepers had the curse of death removed. No one left without a miracle. At the center of the crowd was a single man teaching, preaching, healing, touching, exhorting and seeing into the desperate eyes of the people as He shared the Father’s grace. And they kept coming. He saw their anxious spirits of pain and agony and the joys they shared when He took their burdens away. It was a time of sadness as the Son of God looked upon His creation and saw how the people struggled to find themselves and wearied in their souls seeking peace. He could take away their physical pain but it was the deeper spiritual void that overwhelmed the Lord. The greatest need of the people was finding a cure for the disease of sin.

The multitudes came to Jesus and found temporary relief from their ailments. Jesus knew His mission was to bring eternal relief to the weary souls of men and this remedy would cost Him His life. As the multitudes circled around Him with the noise of their excitement of healing, He so wanted to impress upon them the most important need of the hour. A blind man could receive his sight but what about a heart darkened with sin? The lame would experience the joy of walking and rejoice but the greatest need was for men to walk in the ways of the Lord. Jesus could see in the faces of the people their desperate need for spiritual healing. Many would not recognize the disease of sin seek only the temporary healing of the body. What the Son of God saw was the bigger picture, the mission of His life, the purpose of His coming; the shadow of the cross. Sin was the need of the hour. Jesus would die to take way the disease.

Having compassion on the people is a striking image of the Son of God. His life was an incredible whirlwind of nonstop activity as He taught the people, healed their diseases and made His way to a place called Golgotha. It would take about three years for Jesus to complete the work of His Father and His goal was to take away the sting of death and the penalty of sin. The multitudes He healed today would call for His death tomorrow. Jesus looked into the eyes of the pitiful people that begged for His touch of healing and saw the darkness of sin that entrapped the souls of men to an eternal darkness. His heart burst with love for these weary and scattered sheep that had no shepherd. There was so much work to do. So many souls. So little time.

There is a great need to see men through the eyes of Jesus. Those weary and scattered sheep of Jesus day still walk among us. Men seek for answers to life in the fractured healing message of pride, pleasure and self-seeking indulgences.  They find no joy, peace or comfort. Only in the words of salvation given by Jesus Christ will the eternal promise of healing be given to men. A heart of compassion is needed to see men for what they really are. Apart from God people are like sheep without a shepherd. The sheep have no defense mechanism to save them, they have no knowledge of how to care for themselves and without guidance will wander away to be lost or destroyed. All men are sheep who cannot save themselves. Only from the tender hand of the great Shepherd Jesus Christ will salvation be found. His compassion is found at the cross. There is much work to be done to let men see the healing power of the cross. It begins with a heart of compassion for your friend, neighbor, coworker and family member to let them see how the Lord can give them life. Compassion. A heart of compassion. Look through the eyes of Jesus and have compassion on the multitudes.

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us!” But he answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.” Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. (Matthew 25:10-13)

When The Door Is Shut

Jesus spoke in many parables teaching the multitudes the spiritual lessons of His Father. His teaching was clear and demonstrative.  There would not be any doubt to the clarity of His message. Some thought His teachings were hard. Many today react the same way. In the parable of the ten virgins, five were foolish in believing they had time to secure more oil and be ushered into the bridegroom’s feast. The startling part of the story comes when the five foolish secure more oil and knock on the door of the bridegroom. They wanted to go in. Their hearts were longing to be part of the feast. They had waited with the other five for the bridegroom to come and were late because they did not prepare for his unexpected arrival. But they were here now. There was no reason they could not come in. Begging him they five implored the Lord to open the door. He refused. They were left out of the feast. There was no joy, there was no happiness and they remained in the darkness.

The parable of the ten virgins is part of the ‘hard sayings’ of Jesus. It is difficult to miss the lesson. Finding oneself unprepared for the coming of the Lord will bring peril and heartache. The bridegroom came when he chose to come. Those who were ready enjoyed the feast. Those who were unconcerned were left in the darkness. The key to the story is the door: the bridegroom had the power to shut the door and he had the power to open the door. He refused those who were unprepared and the door remained locked. During the days of Noah when the flood came upon the whole world, the Holy Spirit says that God shut the door of the ark. His power is what brought salvation and His will destroyed those who disobeyed.

The parable of the ten virgins is really the parable of the door. When the door is shut there is no opening. Judgement is coming to all men. Like the ten virgins, there will be those who have made ready for His coming and there will be those who are unconcerned. Sadly, most are making no provisions for the final day. Death comes to most men and they are not ready to die. One day the Lord will come Himself and the world will come to an end. Most are unconcerned. What will make a difference is the door of eternal life. Few will be ushered into the feast of the King and when God shuts to door of eternal life all those who were unprepared will find themselves in darkness. There will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth but the door will remain closed. All the begging and pleading will not change the door. The Lord will say to those who did not prepare, “I do not know you.”

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. (Romans 15:1-7)

Edify The Other Person

The church is made up of a lot of different people. They come with their peculiar personalities, traits and views of life. No one is the same. Economic backgrounds, education, spiritual growth, age and gender all work to create a beautiful recipe of unique and special characteristics that make up a local body of saints. It is hard to believe that everyone is not like me. I seem to have all the answers and understand things better than others so how can others not see my viewpoint? It can be frustrating when we see what people do and how they act when they should be as mature as I am. It is clear that I have all the answers. If only the church would mold its character to my wishes how much better it would be.

The melting pot of brethren is a clear reminder the church is not about me. It is easy to assume that I have all the answers and everyone should follow my lead. What is lost in so many of the discussions of brotherhood unity is the church belongs to Jesus Christ, our work is to edify the other person and all we do is for the glory of God. Quite frankly it is not about me. Shocking but true. There are strong Christians and there are weak Christians. It comes as another shocking truth but weak Christians are going to heaven also. The Lord never suggests we cast aside those who struggle in their spiritual fight or find themselves falling on a regular basis. In the army of the Lord we leave no one behind. Those who have matured in their faith bear with the failings of the weak because it is not about me. We are to please the other person so that he can see the glory of God and help them to be edified or built up in their faith. If we bear the name of Christ we are to follow His example of bearing with the spiritually lacking among us. Jesus did not die for a special group of spiritually elite commandos who have all the answers about everything. Take some time and read of how God dealt with His people and it is evident the scriptures teach everyone was important.

Being of one mind toward one another will bring the unity of peace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Unification of spirits is based upon the differences we share in the spiritual quest of eternal life. We are in the same family and share in the same Father. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is the same for all those who bear the name of Christ. Spiritually speaking there are privates, sergeants and officers in the army of the Lord but unlike the carnal warfare we are all the same. Our spiritual understanding will be different but our spiritual standing is not. We receive one another for the glory of God. Our purpose is to defeat the forces of Satan and raise the banner of truth in a world filled with darkness. Unified together as the army of the Lord we are there for the other person. The key element of our service is the other person. My goal should be to edify the other person. Casting stones does not encourage. Putting out a helping hand will lift someone up. Clasping hands together in prayer will exhort a saint to greater service. Let Satan tremble when he hears the roar of unified feet marching toward his camp as he witnesses the army of the Lord marching in rank and in step with one another. We are the army of God. Let us seek the good of one another for the glory of God.