Tag: Church

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” →

PETER ORDERED BAPTISM

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

baptism-by-immersion

In the book of Acts we have the record of Peter’s sermon which he spoke to the household of Cornelius. Cornelius was a Gentile and had invited his family and close friends to be present on this occasion.

PETER SPEAKS TO THE HOUSE OF CORNELIUS

It is very interesting to read about what Peter said to Cornelius and his friends. First, Peter admitted that God had convinced him that he is no respecter of people, but will accept people from all nations who fear him and do what is right. “Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right’” (Acts 10:34-35).

PETER’S SERMON WAS INTERRUPTED

Next he pointed out that Jesus of Nazareth went about doing good until the Jews killed him by hanging him on a tree. Near the conclusion Peter’s sermon was interrupted by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Gentiles. We notice that the last thing he said before the interruption began was that everyone who believed on Christ would receive forgiveness of sins:

“He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name” (Acts 10:42-43).

FAITH PLUS BAPTISM EQUALS FORGIVENESS OF SIN

After the interruption was over, the first thing that he said to them was,

“Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 10:47-48).

Obviously, if Peter’s speech had not been interrupted, the connection between believing on Jesus and being baptized for the forgiveness of sins would also have been plain to all who love the truth of God.

THE APOSTLES OBEYED THE GREAT COMMISION

This simply is carrying out the Great Commission—the last words of Jesus before he went back to heaven: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16). Have you been baptized for the forgiveness of sins?

Copyright © 2016 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

 

Shelby G. Floyd

100_1259
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana 46142

BOAST IN THE LORD

Published on by sgf1964Leave a comment

By

Shelby G. Floyd

boast-in-the-lord

It is the nature of some people to boast—about their education, their possessions, their status in life, ad nauseam: “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy” (2 Timothy 3:2). This is a good way for others to turn the other way when they see such a one coming toward them. Continue reading “BOAST IN THE LORD” →