by Mike Benson

When important events occur, we give them our strict attention…

Assuming you were alive at the time, do you remember where you were on:

November 22, 1963 - when you first heard that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated?

January 28, 1986 - when you first received the news that the Space Shuttle Challenger had exploded over the skies of Florida?

September 11, 2001 - when you were first told that terrorists had hijacked four jet airliners and then slammed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a field outside of Pittsburgh?

These tragedies by their very nature "captured" our thinking. They were indelibly copied into our long-term consciousness. We probably couldn't forget them if we wanted to. Most of us can remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we first heard the awful news.

I find that strangely ironic. We can barely remember what we had for lunch three days ago, but the events of 1963, 1986, and 2001 come flooding to our recollection in vivid detail. Like an old video cassette movie which we've watched a dozen times before, our minds can immediately recreate the circumstances associated with those shocking snap-shots in American history.

Yes, when important events occur, we give them our strict attention.

That being the case, isn’t it interesting that during the most important event in the history of mankind (Rom. 5:6ff), the soldiers at the cross of Jesus seemed indifferent and unconcerned? Strict attention? Hardly. The mangled form of the Savior of the world was suspended above them on the second of three crosses, but the Roman guard was preoccupied with the value of a scarlet robe (Matt. 27:35; Luke 23:34; John 19:23-24; cf. Psm. 22:18)! Amazing, isn’t it?! The Lamb of God was offering Himself as an atonement for the transgressions of humanity and these men were concerned about getting their loot!

And yet, perhaps we shouldn't be too hard on the soldiers. For if we're not careful, we too can fail to grasp the real meaning and significance of Golgotha. For instance, when we play with our children during the Supper, aren't we gambling for the scarlet robe? When our minds rehearse the forthcoming day's responsibilities during the time that we ought to be communing with Jesus, aren't we gambling for the scarlet robe? When we whisper humorous antidotes to our neighbors in the pew, aren't we casting lots, in a manner of speaking, for the tunic? When we pass notes when we ought to be passing over the scenes associated with the death of the Perfect One, aren't we gambling for the scarlet robe? In myriads of ways we can lose sight of why we've come together and what our purpose should be (1 Cor. 10:16; Matt. 27:26-29).

"Those cold-hearted, spiritually blinded, soldiers. How dare they?!" How dare they, indeed.

Each Lord's Day (Acts 20:7) we as children of God all over the world have the mandate, and yet privilege, of reliving the crucifixion in our minds. We go back to the Lord's death and ponder how we, as individuals, contributed to that ugly-wonderful day. We remember that our own sins made the entire occasion necessary. And we remember that there was One who was willing to die in our stead.

Dear reader, please don't desecrate this precious memorial feast; don't gamble for the scarlet robe.

"But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body" (1 Cor. 11:28-29).

by Barry Newton

Does it frustrate you when the word of God falls on deaf ears? Have you ever been exasperated that someone was refusing to obey God because that individual had embraced a false interpretation of history? None of this is new. Two divergent understandings which clashed about 580 B.C. provide us with a wonderful learning opportunity.

How Some Within Judah Apparently Viewed Things:

Throughout her history, Judah had experienced various periods of prosperity. During much of this time, an assortment of gods and goddess had been worshiped to varying degrees. The people associated their well-being at a particular moment with the gods that they were concurrently worshipping.

Then about 630 B.C., Josiah grated against their beliefs by officially eliminating their gods so that only Yahweh would be worshipped. But after he died in battle, his son reinstated their various gods.

The party came to a disastrous end in 597 B.C. as the Babylonians finally breached the walls of Jerusalem. Jerusalem's fall had been a horrific one. Due to the siege of the city a famine had ensued which had even led some parents to eat their children.

To avoid further wrath from Babylon, some of the Jews had decided to flee to Egypt for safety. Longing to return to the security and well-being they had known years earlier, they pursued the various gods and goddesses whom they believed had provided that security.

How God and His Prophets Saw Things:

Throughout Judah's history, God had sent His prophets warning His people that punishment awaited them if they insisted on serving and relying upon other gods. In His mercy and kindness, God did not immediately bring disaster upon them but provided them with ample and repeated opportunities to repent.

About 630 B.C., Josiah responded to the LORD and removed the idols from the land. Although Josiah might have reestablished the true worship of the one God, it seems as though many people did not take it to heart (Jer. 3:6-7,10). When Josiah died, his son reopened the flood gates to idolatry.

God warned that severe repercussions would ensue if they persisted in rebellion. Finally the day of the LORD descended upon Jerusalem as the Babylonians crushed her. The glory of the city rose in smoke. The temple was destroyed. Judah had been destroyed.

Since God was in control, He told the people to accept the yoke of the Babylonians and remain in the land because Nebuchadnezzar would not be permitted to further hurt them. Instead, they rebelled once again by running away to Egypt where they insisted upon worshiping false gods.

The Clash:

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'You have seen all the calamity that I have brought on Jerusalem and on all the cities of Judah; and behold, this day they [are] a desolation, and no one dwells in them, because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke Me to anger, in that they went to burn incense to serve other gods whom they did not know, they nor you nor your fathers. ... why are you ... provoking me to anger with the works of your hands, burning sacrifices to other gods in Egypt?" (Jer. 44:2-3,7,8 NKJV).

"[As for] the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you! But we will certainly do whatever has gone out of our own mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we have done, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For [then] we had plenty of food, were well-off, and saw no trouble. But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine" (Jer. 44:16-18 NKJV).

Observations:

• This article will probably not be read by those who need it most.

• Just because things are going well for someone does not provide any proof that he or she is right with God (Luke 12:16-21; 16:19-25).

• It is not uncommon for people to fail to recognize the true source of their blessings (Hos. 2:8; Deut. 8:7-18; Matt. 6:30-33).

• A person's belief about what takes care of him or her can lead that individual to love and serve the object of those beliefs (Jer. 44:16-18; Hos. 2:5).

• A person's interpretation can powerfully shape how decisions are made in the present (Matt. 12:22-28; Jer. 44:18).

• If someone's beliefs or values are false, the truth might be dismissed as nonsense (Gen. 19:14; Luke 16:14, 31; 2 Cor. 4:3-4).

• Because of the foregoing observations, a tremendous need exists for people to embrace the message of scripture allowing it to shape what they believe and how they interpret this world.

by A. A. Neale

"The rich and the poor have this in common, The LORD is the maker of them all" (Prov. 22:2, NKJV).

We all belong in the same class. The blue bloods just don't exist. The rich and famous have nothing on anybody else.

Somebody once said that the great leveler is the truth that we all have to sit on the toilet. Somebody else thought it was that we all must die one day.

Solomon says it's because the Lord made us all. Add to that that Jesus Christ died for all, and you have a double blade to level the human playing field.

Peel back the hoopla, and find a human being. Wash off the makeup, and see plain folk. President and peon, we're all alike.

Since the Lord is maker of us all, we are creatures of need, dependent on his care. I cannot look at another human being without seeing my equal -- equally in need of God's presence and blessing.

That the Lord is maker of us all endows us with both dignity and humility. We understand our privileged place in the divine scheme of things, as well as our lowliness before the divine Magnificence.

With one voice, then, we may praise his name; with one mind, we may seek his will; with one heart, we may live together in his Kingdom.

by J. Randal Matheny

"I recollect with admiration an animating blaze of eloquence, which rouzed [sic] every intellectual power in me to the highest pitch, but much have dazzled me so much, that my memory could not preserve the substance of his discourse; ..." (Jas. Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson).

Randal's modern translation: The delivery was so good, I forgot the content. Mr. Boswell was so impressed with the speaker that the message was lost in the dazzle.

Not many of us are as eloquent as the subject of Boswell's observations. But preachers, teachers, writers, and other users of the word are often tempted to soup up the message. How many times have we used an illustration that people remember afterwards, but forgot what it was supposed to illustrate?

God's ambassadors eschew literary flourishes of eloquence. Says straight-talking Paul, "And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:1-2, ESV). Paul was less concerned with delivery than with his single subject.

Paul's words were so plain that people could get away with accusing that "his personal presence [was] unimpressive and his speech contemptible" (2 Cor. 10:10, NASU).

Would people have a hard time of making such a mean charge stick to my communication of the gospel?

I don't want to offer rehashed blather. On the other hand, I pray people may always be impressed with God's plan in Jesus rather than a cute story or turn of phrase I might offer.

Plain and simple will get the job done.

Boswell would approve.

by Emmett Smith

In his second letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul wrote, "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." (2 Cor. 7:10 ESV). The older translations used the word sorrow rather than grief, but grief is probably closer to the original meaning. Regardless, the passage teaches a very important lesson about how we deal with remorse.

The Corinthian brethren had been chastised by Paul in his first epistle, and the above passage was Paul’s comment on their reaction to his criticism. He was praising them for having repented and corrected the situation, and he attributed their positive response to "godly grief". In contrast to the godly sort however, Paul wrote that "worldly grief" produces death. What a contrast! Having a godly world view does make a tremendous difference in one’s life.

This difference can be illustrated in several ways. The example of Judas is often cited in discussions of this passage. He was remorseful, but apparently not with godly remorse. So he committed suicide. Of course, physical death is not the ultimate consequence Paul had in mind here. He was comparing opposite results, salvation versus spiritual death. And if the evil one can cause someone to despair of life itself then he can forestall that person’s repentance and salvation.

The latest U.S. statistics on suicide are sobering. Among them please note the following:

• Persons under age 25 made up 15% of all suicide victims in the year 2000.
• Between 1952 and 1995, the suicide rate for adolescents and young adults nearly tripled.
• Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15-19 years. These suicide deaths outnumber deaths from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, and chronic lung disease combined!

It could easily be argued that the tripling of the suicide rate among young people since the early 1950s correlates to the increasingly secular nature of the government schools and our society in general. And this secularization is being pushed with a vengeance these days. How many more victims will be lost to the despair brought on by worldly grief? Don’t let yourself be one of them.

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you (Psalms 9:10  ESV).