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The Faithful Few
November 2, 2003
There
are the lost and the saved, the goats and the sheep, the tares and the
wheat, the evil and the good, the unrighteous and the righteous, and the
unfaithful and the faithful. Sadly,
the undesirable outnumbers the desirable. We find the
faithful few in the days of Noah, in the days of Lot, in the days of
Christ, and referred to in the account of the church at Sardis.
But an interesting reference
to the faithful can be found in Malachi chapter three.
Some had questioned the profitableness of service to
God, obedience to the Lord and maybe fasting (Mal. 3:14). Then Malachi
alludes to the faithful in 3:16,17.
Some thought-provoking conclusions can be drawn from what is recorded. Let’s
notice what is said about the faithful few.
1. The faithful revere God.
2. The faithful care about others.
3. The faithful are recorded in heaven.
4. The faithful think on God's name.
5. The faithful endure.
6. The faithful will be rewarded.
Let us
press toward the hope of the faithful. [Doug Post]
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Historical Context (part 2)
By Doug Post
As
I wrote in the last bulletin, Historical
Context is vital to Bible study, and it is especially pertinent to
our current study on the Holy Spirit in our Sunday morning Bible Class. Being
removed some 2 thousand years, it is
important
to know the historical context in which a book or passage was written.
This will help us view the text as did the original readers. Remember, a
passage cannot now mean (to us) what it never meant (to them). Again
this pertains to the work of the Holy Spirit, especially the question of
an indwelling.
1.
We know that much of what was said by Jesus in the Gospels about the
Holy Spirit was limited to the Apostles because it is clearly miraculous
in
nature, especially with regard to inspiration and revelation.
2. The Historical Context of those people on the day of Pentecost (Acts
2)
was a knowledge of the work of the Holy Spirit as recorded in the pages
of
the Old Testament and the ministry of Jesus.
3. There was no “personal/indwelling of the Holy Spirit” during the
days of
the Old Testament...whether under the Patriarchal or Mosaic age.
4. The Holy Spirit’s work in the Old Testament was supernatural in
nature
(miracles & prophecy).
5. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles at Pentecost was
most
definitely miraculous.
6. Those in the audience at Pentecost who heard Peter promise “the
gift of
the Holy Spirit”, could not have interpreted his
statement to mean some
“non-miraculous
personal/literal dormant/hibernating” measure of the Holy
Spirit.
7. Their knowledge of the Old Testament, coupled with the ministry of
Jesus and the Apostles would have caused them to expect a supernaturally
working Holy Spirit.
Therefore, we must not be hasty trying to make the work or person of the
Holy Spirit directly available to
us today. We
must respect the Historical Context and the perspective of the original
hearers and readers of the Apostles’ Doctrine. The Holy Spirit inspired the Word and continues to influence us through
it.
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And I Quote....
"I
refuse to accept the idea that the 'is-ness' of man's
present nature makes him morally incapable of
reaching for the 'oughtness' that forever confronts him."
(Martin Luther King, Jr.)
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What's Jesus to
You?
By Doug Post
When He walked the earth Jesus was
different things to different people. To some He was the enemy. To
others He was a friend. To some He was crazy. To others He was
brilliant. To some He was a liar. To others He was Lord.
While Jesus, as the writer of the letter to the Hebrews says, "is
the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews
13:8), He didn't impress everyone the same way. But there does seem
to be a common thread running through many of the people who were
changed by Him. Such as:
- A
sincere, truth seeking Pharisee looking for the way to God (John
3:1-21).
- A
woman who had been caught in the very act of adultery and then used
for political capital (John 8:1-11).
- A
soldier whose faith put to shame those who should have known better
(Luke 7:1-10).
- A
sister who had buried her brother and implied that Jesus should have
done something to keep Him from dying (John 11:17-27).
- A
thief on a cross asking for last minute favor (Luke 23:39-43).
They were people who needed what only He could give. Some of them
knew it and some of them didn't. Some hadn't been looking for Him
when they found Him. But after they found Him they would never be
the same.
While the reality, character and identity of Jesus can withstand the
most searing scrutiny; those who will most often be blessed by Him
are those who come to Him with hearts and minds yearning for truth,
for help, for faith and for forgiveness.
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