The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
February 3, 2002
In
This Issue:
"He
Glorified God, Giving Him Thanks"
By
Tim Johnson
"God
Bless America -- Required Belief in God"
By
Kent Heaton
He Glorified God, Giving Him Thanks
"Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!' So when He saw them, He said to them, 'Go, show yourselves to the priests.' And so it was, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, 'Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?'" (Luke 17:11-18)
From this account, we see that Jesus cleansed these ten men of the horrible disease of leprosy. However, only one of the ten was grateful enough to return to glorify God and give thanks to Jesus. "And he was a Samaritan." From this statement and from Jesus' question of no one returning to offer thanks "except this foreigner," we understand that at least some of the nine who continued on their way were Jews. Why were they so inconsiderate as to not remember or take the time to show gratitude for their cleansing? If we are not careful, we may find ourselves in this same group of "ingrates".
We all know and understand that we have been cleansed of something far worse than leprosy. We have been made clean from our sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. Through our obedience in baptism, we washed away our sins just as Paul was instructed to do in Acts 22:16. We should be ever so thankful to God for such a cleansing, for without it, we would die in our sins.
So, I should ask myself, "Which group do I belong to - the nine who continued on their way after seeing their cleansing, or the one who returned to give glory to God?
As we worship, am I singing the various songs to glorify God and to show my gratitude to Him for my cleansing - or, do I bother to sing at all? As the prayers are being led, do I pray along to show my thankfulness to God for the cleansing blood shed on the cross for my sins - or, do I let my mind wander instead of praying? When I lay by in store as we do each Lord's day, am I thankful to God for His many blessings, especially that of the gift of His Son Jesus Christ - or, do I just dump anything into the plate with no thought at all to the meaning of this element of worship? As I partake of the Lord's Supper, am I glorifying God by centering my thoughts around the suffering and death of Jesus upon the cruel cross so that I may be cleansed from my sins - or, once again, am I thinking of other things? As I listen to the message being delivered, am I examining myself, all the while being thankful that I have been counted worthy of His cleansing - or, am I more interested in the small distractions around me?
Throughout the week, in my job or school, do I conduct myself according to God's commandments, letting my light shine, which will not only glorify God on my behalf, but will cause others to glorify Him as well (Matthew 5:16)? Or, on the weekdays, do I completely forget that I am a child of God and have been cleansed from my sins?
Let us not be as the nine men who were so ungrateful as to not return to thank Jesus for their cleansing, but let us determine to be as the leprous Samaritan, who realized the awesomeness of this miracle, realized the cleansing he had been given, and returned to glorify and give thanks to the Lord. May we hear the Lord say unto each of us, as did that faithful man: "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well" (v 19).
By Tim Johnson
Red, white and blue permeates every part of the American way of life. It has been a long time since such honor was bestowed upon "Old Glory." In the Sixties, it was burned, today it is a symbol of honor. Bumper stickers proudly hail the message of what a great country we live in. Many, who never knew the words of the song, "God Bless America," now sing in warm tones of patriotism its majesty message. Throughout the land, signs bear the message of "God Bless America." Can it be that we have remembered again the message that our country was founded upon? What can be the meaning of those three words that has stirred a nation to unity?
The phrase implies a need of a blessing to be given to this land by God. By virtue of its plea, one is recognizing there is a God. Secondly, a statement of faith is acknowledged that the greatest good that America can receive is by the hand of God. It is interesting that this change in thought for America comes at a time of war and national crisis. To ask a blessing from someone is to recognize the ability of the giver to give what is needed. What people are asking when seeking God's blessing is the admission of His existence and power.
Hebrews 11:6 tells us, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Asking God's blessing upon this country is for the people of this land to believe that "He is." What are the consequences of believing that God exists? It begins with Genesis 1:1 - "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." From this passage comes the foundation of whether one pleases God or not in doing His will. Faith is necessary to ask the blessing of God.
This establishes that man came from God and not a chance evolution of nature. Genesis 1:27 shows the beginning of man: "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." To ask God's blessing upon America is to admit that man was created in the image of God. Since man is created in the image of God, man has a responsibility to be submissive to the Creator. "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walks to direct his own steps (Jeremiah 10:23).
The second part of asking God's blessing upon America is to acknowledge that He can perform what is being asked. Faith is believing that God is a "rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." The qualification of receiving the reward or promise is to "diligently" seek God. While our nation is at a time of crisis, many people turn to God in a figure. They never acknowledged Him before nor sought to serve Him, but in the midst of a storm, His name is cried unto for deliverance. God rewards those who seek Him each day. The blessing God bestows upon us is not for prosperity, peace and safety or the "American Ideal." God's blessing upon a people is based upon their reception of Him. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 33:12).
Our nation is best represented by what God said of Israel in Jeremiah 7:28: "This is a nation that does not obey the voice of the LORD their God nor receive correction. Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth." How can God bless a nation that blesses God out? How will God bless a people whose will is their own? Can God bless America? He can and will if He chooses. To invoke the blessing of God requires duty, faithfulness and belief to receive the generous portion of God's blessing upon all men. God will bless America in accordance with what America thinks of God.
By Kent Heaton,
via The Exhorter, 12/09/01,
published by Oakland church of Christ