Tag: Body

THE MUSIC IN CONGREGATIONAL WORSHIP

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Shelby G. Floyd

Sing and sing

The word “music” is a generic term and includes vocal and instrumental music. It occurs only one time in the New Testament. When the prodigal son returned home there was “music (sumphonia–ςυμφωνια), and dancing” (Luke 15:25). “Music” is generic and includes all kinds of musical sounds. This has no reference to a worship service, but to social activities in the home. If this one use of the word music authorizes instrumental music in worship to God, then it follows that dancing, killing the fatted calf, etc., would be included also. Since this is the only New Testament passage which uses the generic term music, and since it does not authorize instrumental music in worship, then instrumental music in worship is not to be found in this passage. Continue reading “THE MUSIC IN CONGREGATIONAL WORSHIP” →

WHAT IS GOD’S NAME?

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Shelby G. Floyd

gods-name

God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and revealed himself to the great prophet. He promised Moses he world be with him when he went before Pharaoh to demand that he let the children of Israel go free from their slavery.

“I AM WHO I AM”

Moses replied to God that the Israelites would want to know God’s name. He asked what he should say. God’s answer was, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:13-14). “I AM” is God’s name and his name means “The Self Existent One.” God is also known by “God Almighty”—El-Shaddai; “Elohim”—Lord; and “Jehovah.” God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them.” (Exodus 6:2-3). The name “Lord” in the Hebrew is equal to I AM (Exodus 3:15). Continue reading “WHAT IS GOD’S NAME?” →

RUN THE RACE

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Shelby G. Floyd

Run the Race

When Paul was completing his third evangelistic journey by ship, at every stop the Holy Spirit warned him of impending hardship and suffering when he would arrive at Jerusalem. But Paul made up his mind to go there because he also was compelled by the Spirit to do so:

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:22-24).

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SHOW UNUSUAL KINDNESS

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Shelby G. Floyd

Unusual Kindness

On Paul’s voyage to Rome there were 276 people aboard the vessel when they had a shipwreck that resulted in the loss of the ship and cargo (Acts 27:37). But in keeping with God’s promise to Paul, not a single person lost their life (Acts 27:22).

When they discovered where they were stranded it turned out to be the island of Malta (Acts 28:1). It was here that a war conference was held by Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin, during World War II.

Luke describes the reception they received by the native people:

“The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold” (Acts 28:2). We all enjoy the milk of human kindness, especially when we are in trouble. But it is “unusual” when total strangers show such kindness extended to those who can do nothing for them. Their “unusual kindness” involved building a fire to warm their cold bodies, giving them food and shelter and honoring them with an audience with the chief ruler of the island. But before they left for Rome, their kindness was rewarded in Paul healing the father of Publius (Acts 28:7-10).

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THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST

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Shelby G. Floyd

isaiah-7-14-scroll
The above title is a specific and accurate description of how God brought Christ into the world to be our Savior. Jesus Christ is both divine and human, “regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:3-4).

Jesus Christ Was Human and Divine

From the divine standpoint, he has always existed and always will. Late in the first century, the apostle John spoke of the preexistence of Christ in these words: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2). Then, later in the chapter, John described the human nature of Christ when he said, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1: 14). This is definitely a reference to the virgin birth of Christ. Continue reading “THE VIRGIN BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST” →

Enthusiastic Evangelism

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Shelby G. Floyd

1 Cor 15-58

There is plenty of work in the congregation for each one of us to do if we will do it. Solomon sagely advises people to work while we can: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Life is short and we only live here once. Whatever we can accomplish for the Lord must be done now. We cannot come back and take care of lost opportunities. Continue reading “Enthusiastic Evangelism” →

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

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Shelby G. Floyd

You Must Be Born Again

It is a great blessing when a new birth takes place in a family. The congregation has been blessed by the birth of a new baby boy in recent weeks. We have observed the joy and happiness this brings to the family. In the same way, when one is “born again” or “born from above,” there is great joy in heaven and on earth among the people of God. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5).

BORN INTO THREE KINGDOMS

Have you been born into God’s kingdom? We enter every kingdom by birth. We are all now citizens of the kingdom of nature. How did we enter that kingdom? We entered the kingdom of nature by a physical birth. It made natural beings out of us because we live in a natural kingdom. The church is the kingdom of God. It’s a spiritual kingdom. How do we enter into that kingdom? We enter the spiritual kingdom of God by a spiritual birth of water and of the Spirit. What kind of beings does it make out of us? It makes beings correspondent to the constitution of that kingdom. It makes gracious beings out of us because we are saved by the grace of God. And finally, one of these days when Jesus comes back again our bodies are going to be resurrected out of the grave. Jesus, by His resurrection, is said to be the firstborn of the dead. If He’s the firstborn, then that implies that others will follow. When we’re born from the dead, it will be a birth of and from the grave. The birth from the grave will induct us into the everlasting kingdom. This will be the heavenly state. What kind of beings will it make out of us? Our nature will be correspondent to the nature of that kingdom. We will be glorious beings not subject to death. We will have a spiritual body. We will see Jesus as He really is. We’ll be like Him. We’ll share in His glory. A natural birth makes natural beings. It brings us into a natural kingdom. A spiritual birth makes us spiritual beings and brings us into a spiritual kingdom and a glorious birth will make glorious beings out of us and will conduct us into a glorious kingdom—heaven itself. The new birth into the kingdom of God is a connecting vestibule between the kingdom of nature and the kingdom of glory. You need to participate in it. The new birth is not an option. Jesus also said, “You must be born again” (John 3:7). Continue reading “YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN” →

THE STIGMA OF THE CROSS

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Shelby G. Floyd

cross3

In the days of Christ, the apostles and the church he established, the cross bore a stigma of being the most shameful way to die. It was symbolic of great suffering and ignominious death. In the Old Testament writings, the death of Christ was prophesied by Isaiah and many of the prophets:

Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.
ESV

Thus Isaiah graphically depicts the despicable, degrading and humiliating beating and death of Christ upon the cross. Continue reading “THE STIGMA OF THE CROSS” →

WAKE UP

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Shelby G. Floyd

sleeper

Sleep” is used in several different ways as a metaphor to illustrate the Christian life and death. It sometimes refers to “the sleep” of death: “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). Continue reading “WAKE UP” →

SEVEN SERVANTS

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Shelby G. Floyd

077-Seven-Servants-Graphic--608x608

Jesus Christ is the best example of being a servant. He did not ask his disciples to do that which he refused to do himself: “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:27-28). There is great joy and satisfaction in learning to serve others in a cause that is greater than us. The cause of Christ demands that we learn to be a servant. Continue reading “SEVEN SERVANTS” →