Tag: Encouragement

THE MINDSET OF CHRIST

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Shelby G. Floyd

Jesus Christ is the perfect model of humbling ourselves before God Almighty: “He humbled himself” (Philippians 2:8). He took three big steps to do this.

1. He gave up his right to glory, his prerogative of equality with the Father: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage” (Philippians 2:6-7).

2. He became a human in the very nature of a servant: “…rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself…” (Philippians 2:7-8).

3. He the perfect man voluntarily died a heinous death as a felon on the cruel cross of Calvary: “…he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8).

Those who have given their allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ are commanded to imitate his humble attitude: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

We will have the mind of Christ when we seek the unity of the congregation with one mind and purpose, out of a heart of love for our brothers and sisters in Christ,

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind” (Philippians 2:1-2).

The only way we can do this is by thinking of other people as being better than ourselves:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

When we imitate Christ, God raises us up to sit with him in the heavenly places, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). To live with Christ forever in the heavenly home, we must have the mindset of Christ while we are here in our earthly home.

Copyright © 2011 2017 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

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

WORSHIP ON THE LORD’S DAY

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Shelby G. Floyd

lords-day

The New Testament clearly outlines the essentials on worship. These are: the Lord’s Supper, the contribution, prayer, preaching, and singing. However, in the matters of judgment or incidentals the New Testament does not have a lot to say. This indicates that God leaves it up to our human judgment as to how we should carry out what he has commanded when he has not specifically stated how we are to carry it out!

A Window into Worship

In our text, we have a window through which to see a worship service of the New Testament church. This worship took place at Troas on Paul’s third evangelistic journey (Acts 20:1-12).

As Paul traveled around visiting the churches he encouraged them with the word of God. Comfort and encouragement mostly comes from the word of God: “He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece” (Acts 20:2).

First Day of the Week Worship

We notice that worship at Troas was on the first day of the week. This is what we call Sunday. Why was worship on Sunday and not on Saturday or any other day of the week?

“Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight” (Acts 20:7 NKJV).

Why did the New Testament church worship on Sunday instead of Saturday, which was the day of worship for the Jews? They worshipped on Sunday because Jesus Christ himself sanctified the first day of the week, by his own resurrection from the dead on the first day the week (Luke 24:1).

John Worshipped in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day

John the apostle was exiled to the island of Patmos, probably by Domitian (84-96 A. D.). He was away from the church on the mainland of Asia Minor. But on Sunday—the first day of the week, John described himself as being in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10). This means, that he was in heart and soul with the congregation that worshipped on the first day of the week. On Sunday all Christians need to be present in body and spirit to worship the Lord.

Let us also be devoted to taking the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week, to remember the salvation we have in Christ. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).

Copyright © 2011-2016 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

Shelby G. Floyd

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

Holding Up Each Other’s Hands

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Shelby G. Floyd

Hands

The background for our lesson today is from a portion of Scripture found in the book of Exodus 17:8-16.

We are all familiar with the story of God’s people who multiplied to a wonderful number of something like two million people while they were down in Egypt. They were in bondage; they were mistreated; they cried out unto the Lord to save them by sending a deliverer. And God raised up Moses who was trained and educated to be their deliverer.

Moses is held up in the Bible to be a type of Jesus Christ. He was a prophet of God and Israel’s deliverer. Christ is our great prophet through whom God has spoken to us (Hebrews 1: 1-3). Moses delivered Israel from bondage and slavery. Christ has delivered us from the bondage of sin. Christ therefore was the promised deliverer like unto Moses (Acts 3: 22).

God sent Moses to Pharaoh and he put a rod into his hand. Moses did many miracles through the rod of God, confirming his message and mission to Israel. Finally, with the rod of God in his hand he separated the Red Sea, and the children of Israel marched through the Red Sea on dry land and headed toward the Promised Land.

Shortly after they were on their way the children of Israel started murmuring for water. God commanded Moses to strike the rock with the rod and water was given to them. (Exodus 17: 1-7.) Then they were attacked by a nomadic tribe called Amalek. Continue reading “Holding Up Each Other’s Hands” →