Tag: Church

THE DRAWING POWER OF THE CROSS

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” by Issac Watts was one of the most beautiful hymns ever written. He is one of the best-known and best loved of the British hymn writers. He wrote about 600 hymns in his lifetime. Charles Wesley, who also wrote many hymns, said that he would gladly have exchanged all of his hymns for that one hymn written by Isaac Watts. Watts hymn is based upon Galatians 6:14 where the apostle Paul said, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

GLORYING IN THE CROSS

The cross of Christ is the center of the gospel story. Wherever the apostles and preachers went in the early days of the church, the central theme of their message was the death of Christ upon the cross of Calvary. For instance, Paul worked with the Corinthians a year and a half. Later he wrote a letter to them and said, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2). This meant that “Christ crucified” was the burden of his message. He did not preach the Grecian philosophy or the Roman wisdom of the poets and philosophers. He said his message was Jesus Christ and him crucified.

In the first chapter of the same letter he said, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect” (1 Corinthians 1:17). He said the cross of Christ was a stumbling block to the Jews, and the Greeks looked upon it as foolishness. He added, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

CHRIST ANTICIPATED HIS DEATH

Jesus Christ anticipated his own death. There have been other men who have anticipated their deaths, but not each detail of how and when they would die. The Lord did. In John 3 Jesus had an interview with Nicodemus. When we talk about this interview, we usually talk about the new birth. Many probably do not realize the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus about the new birth also included the statement, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: that whosoever believe it in him should not periods, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believe it in him should not perish, but have everlasting life: for God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:14-17). This is a part of the interview with Nicodemus. Continue reading “THE DRAWING POWER OF THE CROSS” →

Growing the Church

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

If the church is to increase and grow, we must all get involved in the law of the seedtime and harvest. Solomon taught that to expect a har­vest we must get up early in the morning and sow the seed and not wait till the evening of life: Sow your seed in the morning and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well (Ecclesiastes 11:6).

In some parables that Jesus taught, God is pic­tured as the owner of a huge farm with an abundant har­vest. But the harvest may be lost be­cause of few workers. Jesus said, “The harvest is truly plenteous, but the laborers are few (Matthew 9:37).

God can do whatever pleases him (Psalms 115:3), but it does not please him to circumvent his own plan to save man. Paul outlined God’s plan in his letter to the Ro­mans:

For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “LORD, who has believed our report?” So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10:13-17, NKJV).

From this scripture we learn several facts about our task of proclaiming the gospel message:

  1. God saves those who call on the Lord.
  2. Men cannot call on someone they do not believe in.
  3. They cannot believe in one of whom they have not heard.
  4. They cannot hear unless someone preaches the word to them.

Someone must send and someone must go to sow the seed:

The lack of growth is and always has been a lack of workers. Unless we all get involved in making disciples, no one will go. Like the apostle Paul said, “the love of God compels me,” to carry our own load and go forth to do good works.

Copyright © 2024 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

Shelby G. Floyd, Minister, Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142

 

 

 

 

WORSHIP AND THE SUNDAY BIBLE CLASSES

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

The religion of Jesus Christ must be taught to every person who would be a Christian. This religion is not inherited by a fleshly birth (John 1:11-12; 3:3-5), but it is obtained by faith in Christ Jesus (John 20:30-31). Since faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17), the word must be taught. In giving the great commission, Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19). A person then must enter the school of Christ to be instructed in the gospel in order to be a child of God. Jesus taught that, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me” (John 6:45).

However, this instruction does not end with conversion, but extends throughout the Christian life. After the apostles baptized the disciples; Jesus instructed them to teach the disciples to observe all that he had commanded them (Matthew 28:20). The three thousand on the day of Pentecost who gladly received the word, and were baptized, did not stop their instruction in the knowledge of Christ: “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). We have access to the grace of God through the teaching of Christ and his apostles (Titus 2:11-12).

The Sunday school with classes for every age is one of the best ways the church can obey the great commission. The Sunday school contributes largely to the number of persons who are baptized each year. The teachers of each class should realize they have a weighty responsibility to edify the body of Christ. One of the purposes of the Sunday school then is to teach the gospel to those who attend the services, but are not yet members of the church. Those who are members need to attend the classes on Sunday in order to obtain knowledge of the Christian religion:

“As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:2-3).

Unless each Christian advances in grace and knowledge there is reason to believe that person will be carnal minded and a detriment to the church (I Corinthians 3:1-3). Each congregation needs to equip and train more teachers and evangelists to preach the word. The Sunday school classes provide an excellent means to do this. Any Christian aspiring to be a teacher of the gospel will not be absent himself from the Bible classes conducted in the church. The teachers can train other teachers by committing the gospel to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also (2 Timothy 2:2). Many members of the church who should be teaching others need to be taught themselves, because they have become dull of hearing (Hebrews 5:11-14).

Each Christian is commanded to, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The Bible is “…given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bible is therefore the text book in every class in the Bible School.

Copyright © 2019 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

Shelby G. Floyd
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana 46142
shelby@thefloyds.net

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

This subject ought to be brought before young people and others continually. It is a topic that must be stamped indelibly upon the hearts of all who would please our heavenly Father and who would know the truth. It is a simple subject, and yet one that is not known or understood by many people. The subject is, “The Establishment of the Church.” Continue reading “THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH” →

CONCERNING CHRIST AND THE CHURCH

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

In Ephesians 5:22-33, the apostle Paul sets forth the nature of the church and its relationship to Christ. He says in one place,

“This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:32).

What did Paul mean when he said, “I speak concerning Christ and the church”? Continue reading “CONCERNING CHRIST AND THE CHURCH” →

TEST THE SPIRITS

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

The author of the letter to the church at Ephesus is Jesus Christ (Revelation 2:1-3). This letter is a part of the Revelation which God gave to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ gave to an Angel, and the Angel signified it to John, John wrote it down in a book and sent it to the churches (Revelation 1:1-2). A great blessing is pronounced upon those who read (aloud), hear and keep those things which are written in the last book of the Bible (Revelation 1:3). John received this wonderful disclosure while he was on the Isle of Patmos. He heard a great voice behind him as the voice of a trumpet, loud, distinct and clear. When he turned to see who was speaking, he saw seven Golden candlesticks; and in the midst of those Golden candlesticks he saw the glorified Christ, like unto the Son of Man, and he had in his right hand seven stars (Revelation 1:9-19). Continue reading “TEST THE SPIRITS” →

CHURCH GOVERNMENT

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

church-government

From prison Paul addressed the church in Philippi, “together with the overseers and deacons” (Philippians 1:1). There is no authority for the “one man pastor system” found in almost all denominational churches. Neither is there any foundation for the hierarchy of the Roman church, with the Pope as the head of the church. Continue reading “CHURCH GOVERNMENT” →

JOINING THE DISCIPLES (CHURCH)

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

handshake-clipart

What a blessing it is for all of us to come together and worship God. In a congregation where I preached there was a man that visited from time to time. He would fill out a visitor’s card, and on it he would write, “I am a member of the church of Christ at large.” All of us are members of the church of Christ at large. But are we all members of the church of Christ at small? Today I am speaking on the topic of “Joining the Church.” I have never preached on this topic in over 54 years of ministry. All of my life I have heard that you do not join the church. Is it true that we do not join the church? The answer is both yes and no. There is a sense in which we do not join the church. And there is a sense in which we do join the church. Therefore we can have it both ways. Continue reading “JOINING THE DISCIPLES (CHURCH)” →

SOWING AND REAPING

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

Wheat ears in the hands. Harvest concept

In the beginning, when the Almighty created the heavens and the earth, he established a rule or principle of life which is absolute, and which still holds true to this day; it is the law of sowing and reaping. God ordained that each species of the fauna and flora would always reproduce after their kind. For instance, in connection with the grass and herbs of the field, God said,

“Let the earth bring forth grass, The herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:11-12).

Continue reading “SOWING AND REAPING” →

WORSHIP THAT COST SOMETHING

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

worship-cost-something

King David once said, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing” (2 Sam. 24:24). He then bought the threshing floor of Araunah at a price and made his offering unto the Lord:

“So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings” (2 Sam. 24:24-25).

Continue reading “WORSHIP THAT COST SOMETHING” →