Grant County church Of Christ
June 3, 2007
THE BIBLE STILL SURVIVES!
It is a wonder that the Bible ever saw the light of the twenty-first century. During the 1600 years in which the Bible was being written, Bible lands were ravaged by war, great libraries were destroyed by fire, and whole civilizations rose and fell. In spite of all these things, the Bible has survived.
It has emerged from the fires of persecution uninjured and has come to us mingled with the blood and the tears of thousands who died rather than deny its sacred truths and the right of people to have access to the Book containing them. The Bible is here not by accident but because the same God who saw to its composition has also seen to its preservation.
Before the coming of Christianity, Antiochus Epiphanes of Syria sought to break the morale of the Jews of the second century B.C. by destroying their Temple and sacred Scriptures. His ultimate goal was to force Greek language, culture, and religion on the descendants of Abraham. His efforts to destroy the sacred books of the Jews failed, for God saw to their safekeeping.
Then, after the coming of Christianity, Emperor Diocletian of Rome undertook the destruction of this new religion in the third century A.D. All church buildings were destroyed, Christian assemblies forbidden, and Scriptures confiscated. He took great pleasure in burning all the copies of Biblical books that could be found and killing their owners. In fact, he made the arrogant boast that he had wiped out Christianity. The Bible and the religion founded upon it remains, and Diocletian is now an insignificant figure in history.
In more recent times, Voltaire, Paine, Ingersoll, and Mrs. O’Hare have taken their turns at blasting the Bible. Each predicted that it would become a "forgotten book." They have faded from the spotlight. The Bible survives!
The Bible survives, because it is God’s Word. Christianity is the "religion of the Book," and Almighty God has preserved His written revelation of truth for men of all generations.
As surely as the Bible has survived and survives still, it will withstand the criticisms and blasphemies that will yet be heaped upon it before the Lord returns. But when the Savior does appear in the heavens and calls all men before Him for judgment, the very book that so many have spurned will be opened and used as the standard for evaluating their lives on earth.
Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" Matthew 24:35). It survives!
THE BOOK OF BOOKS
Jerry W. Carmichael
Although we call it a "book", the Bible is actually a collection of 66 books written by over 40 authors, over a period of about 1,600 years. It covers the history of God's faithful from the beginning of time until about 90 years after the death of Jesus in A.D. 33. Most of the authors never knew one another yet they never once contradicted each other and the same theme runs through their writings from beginning to end.
The Bible is God's word! (2Timothy 3:16-17) It was given by God to certain Prophets (2Peter1:21); and then directly to Jesus, Son of God (Hebrews 1:1-3); who taught it to His Apostles, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, (John 14:15-18; 16:5-15) who then recorded it and taught it to others (Acts 2:1-47). The words in this "Book of Books" are those that can save our souls eternally if we but learn them and live by them (James 1:21-22). The Bible is the mirror of the soul, that which shows us our flaws and how to properly correct them through the cleansing blood of Christ (James 1:23-27).
The Bible is divided into two major parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. There are three major time periods or dispensations covered. The Patriarichal age was from Adam to Moses (see Job 1) The N.T. is the law under which we live today (Hebrews 8:7-13). The O.T. is like our history book to teach us from where Christianity came (Galatians 3:19-29). We study it because it was written for our learning (Romans 15:4); We do not live under its laws and statutes, including the ten commandments, because it was fulfilled, completed and nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:14).
Under the Old Law animal sacrifices were offered, certain meats were not allowed to be eaten, and the Sabbath was kept (Saturday).
Under the New and better covenant, Christ is our supreme sacrifice and we don't have to continue to sacrifice every year (Hebrews 9:23-28); Our lives as Christians are living sacrifices (Romans12:1-2); No food is considered religiously unclean except blood (Acts15:29); And the first day of the week is the day of worship (Acts 20:7; 1Corinthians 16:1-2; Rev.1:10).
"THE OLD TESTAMENT IS THE NEW TESTAMENT CONCEALED; THE NEW TESTAMENT IS THE OLD TESTAMENT REVEALED" (Galatians 3:24-25).
There are those who consider studying the Bible, but come to the conclusion that it is too difficult to understand. It is true that the Bible is filled with many facts and even mysteries, but it is a fact that the overall picture of the Bible can be understood in three steps. May we consider these three?
The first step declares that SOMEONE IS COMING! The first announcement of this began in the Garden of Eden, when disobedience by the first couple brought both physical and spiritual death. However, the promise that SOMEONE IS COMING involved only spiritual death, because all would face physical death. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22). The One coming to bruise the head of the serpent would be born of the Seed of Woman (Genesis 3:15).
Therefore, when God appeared to Abraham, He put the future plan for salvation into action! For God promised him, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). The prophets over the years also announced the coming of the great One as to His purpose, His kingdom, His ministry, and even His sacrificial death! (Isaiah 53).
The second step announces the good news that SOMEONE HAS COME! At the birth of God’s Son and the world’s Savior, an angelic chorus sang, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14). He was called Jesus Christ, and lived up to the greatness of His name by His authoritative teaching, divine promises, and His powerful miracles.
Even the death He experienced fulfilled God’s plan to bring salvation. "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; . ." (Mark 16:16). After His death, He came forth from the grave, and after proving to many eyewitnesses that He was alive and the resurrected One, He was taken up in a cloud to reign at the right hand of His Father.
The third step reminds us that SOMEONE IS COMING BACK! Jesus will return at His second coming, the same way He was taken up (Acts 1:11). To some, His return will be a joyful time, but to the ones lost, it will be a sad time for eternal destruction. Jesus, the Son of God will be the Judge of both good and evil (Acts 17:31). Those who have allowed His blood to cleanse them through obedience and faithfulness will receive eternal joy, but those who have refused Him will receive eternal punishment! "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Matthew 25:46).
VISITORS
We would like to thank all of our visitors who are with us today, you are our honored guests. Please complete one of the visitor cards in the back of the pew and place it in the contribution basket at the appropriate time. We welcome you back at anytime!
FAMILY NEWS – Please continue to pray for following
Ì Joyce Fehrman – has been released from Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Center. She will undergo extensive physical therapy at home for approximately 12- 18 months.
Ì Linda Castle is still recovering from her surgery and doing well.
UPCOMING EVENTS
June 9-13, 2007- Door-Knocking Campaign and Gospel Meeting (with David Shannon) from Mount Juliet, Tennessee. Sixty members from that church will travel to Dry Ridge to knock the door of every resident in the county
Daily Schedule:
Sat.,
9:00am- Meet at the church building for a devotional
9:30am – Leave the church building on buses to begin door knocking
Lunch – Buses will arrive at the church building in staggered shifts
5:30pm – Finish for the day
Sunday-
12:00pm-1:00p – dinner on the ground
1:30pm-5:00pm- Door Knocking
7:30pm- Meal following the evening service
Mon.-Wed.-
9:00am- Meet at the church building for a devotional
9:30am – Leave the church building on buses to begin door knocking
Lunch – Buses will arrive at the church building in staggered shifts
5:30pm – Finish for the day
