Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path. (Psalm 119:105) Mount
Baker
Beacon Volume 02, Number 35
08/27/2023 Published by
Mt. Baker
church of Christ Location:
1860 Mt. Baker HWY
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 30821
Bellingham, WA 98228
(360) 752-2692 Sunday:
Bible Classes..........9:30 AM
Worship..10:30AM; 6:00PM
Wednesday:
Bible Classes.........7:00 PM
Web site: Mt. Baker church
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Editor......John Bass
| In this issue:
BEWARE "IT'S BARE SEASON"
Brad Phillips We have once again come to that time of the year that some refer to as "bare season." You see, summertime is here, and because of that many will be baring all that they can in an attempt to cool down from the warmer temperatures, and in an attempt to keep up with the so called "latest fashion trends."
However, we need to beware of "bare season," and although many men will be going shirtless and wearing short shorts while mowing their lawns this summer, along with many women who will be wearing practically nothing while sunbathing in clear sight of anyone who happens to pass by, along with many others who will be wearing skimpy outfits that expose way too much flesh, we must not practice such, or approve of those who do.
You see, although the world views nakedness as being totally nude, the Scriptures, the all inspired word of God (2 Timothy 3:16) says nakedness is not only being totally nude (Genesis 3:7) i.e. the word naked here is used when Adam and Eve first realized they were totally nude, but also nakedness is referred to in the Scriptures as being partially nude (Genesis 3:10) i.e. the word naked is used here after Adam and Eve had made themselves girding coverings, and covered themselves. However, this partial covering of the body was not acceptable to God, as we go onto read and learn in Genesis 3:20, "Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin and clothed them."
Therefore, Christians need to understand the difference between the worlds view of nakedness, and what God's word says about nakedness. So, you see, Christians must recognize that exposing nakedness is not acceptable to God (Exodus 20:26, 28:42). They must likewise realize that nakedness can lead to the lust of the flesh, and promote fornication (2 Samuel 11:1-5), it can cause a stumble block for some (Matthew 5:28), and we must abstain from causing a stumbling block which may cause others to fall (Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 8:9).
So, knowing that, let's beware of "bare season" and let's be a people who dress modestly, in a way that is orderly, well arranged, or decent (1 Timothy 2:9-10). Let's never become conformed to the world and it views (Romans 12:1-2). Let's always deny ungodliness and worldly lust (Titus 2:12). Let's strive to be one who is blameless and harmless without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (Philippians 2:15), and let's do all that we do (including the way in which we dress) to the glory of God (Matthew 5:16; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
Now, with that said, let's all take this subject to heart, let's always understand the importance of modest dress, let's teach these much needed principals to our children and grandchildren, and let's be a people who always dress modestly, no matter what time of the year it is! Top
ELYMAS
Jim McDonald The second half of Acts (chapters 13-28) is a history of the activities of Paul as he fulfilled the call Jesus had made to him. When Ananias hesitated to fulfill the direction of the Lord to go preach to Saul, the Lord said, “Go thy way; for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel: for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16). Before the book is completed, Saul will have experienced all that God commanded him to do or warned he would experience. He had preached to Gentiles, to kings, and to the children of Israel, and suffered greatly for the sake of Christ.
Acts 13 records that at first Saul and Barnabas were with other prophets and teachers in Antioch, and as they ministered to the Lord the Holy Spirit said, “Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them” (Acts 13:2). So the teachers and prophets, after prayer and fasting, laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul and sent them away. This “laying on of hands” was a setting of these two men apart to a special task, just as hands were laid on servants of the church in Jerusalem who were to minister to the needs of impoverished widows (Acts 6:6). The record says of the prophets and teachers in Antioch that “they sent them away”. Whether this phrase meant the church provided funds for the task Saul and Barnabas were “sent away” to do we do not know. What we do know is that there was a special relationship between the church at Antioch and these two. When that journey was completed “they sailed to Antioch from whence they have been committed to the grace of God for the work they had fulfilled” (Acts 14:26). Even when Paul’s second journey was finished (although it appears that journey was at the suggestion of Paul to Barnabas, Acts 15:38), Paul visited Antioch again (Acts 18:22-23). He didn’t visit Antioch at the conclusion of his final journey because he was a prisoner of the Roman government, sent to Rome to be tried before Caesar.
Acts 13 shows that the two preachers, Barnabas and Saul, went from Antioch to Seleucia and then to the island of Cyprus (Acts 13:40). Cyprus was familiar territory to Barnabas; he was from that island (Acts 4:26). The two traveled from one end of the island to the other — from Salamis to Paphos (Acts 13:5-6), and although they preached in all the synagogues as they traveled the length of the island, the Holy Spirit chose to record only one incident from their preaching there — the conversion of a proconsul named Sergius Paulus. At the same time, Paul struck a Jewish sorcerer named Elymas or Bar-Jesus blind.
Sergius Paulus was a significant Roman official yet he had a sincere heart and called the two evangelists so he could hear the Word of God. Elymas obviously was one who, being in the employment of the proconsular and a trusted advisor to him, feared that Barnabas and Saul might convert Paulus and destroy his own credibility with him, so he “withstood” Barnabas and Saul. It was then that Saul worked his first recorded miracle. He said to the sorcerer, “O full of all guile and all villainy, thy son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind and not see the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness and he went about seeking for someone to lead him by the hand” (Acts 13:9-11). The proconsular was astonished at what had happened and became a believer in Christ.
How fitting that Elymas should be smitten with physical darkness when he, by his sorcery, had been imposing spiritual darkness on others when working his sorceries! Paul knew how Elymas would feel: he himself had been struck with blindness for three days and nights when he had seen the blinding light on the road to Damascus. God sent Ananias to Paul, who when he came, laid hands on him and restored sight to him. So, while permanent blindness was not imposed on the sorcerer, the time he was blind would be a reminder to him of the darkness he had imposed on others by his deceptions. And, if he had not so hardened his heart that he was beyond this truth piercing his conscience, perhaps he would repent of his ways and follow Sergius Paulus. Top
Created by Tyler Rorvig-Rieksts, last updated. 08/26/2023 The Mount Baker Beacon is a weekly publication of the Mt. Baker church of Christ, Bellingham, WA.
Send all questions, comments to the editor, John Bass at (360) 325-5149 or johnbass2468@gmail.com |
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