audio lecture.

I Samuel 24:21-22 “Therefore swear now to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name from my Father’s house. So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.”

It is so frustrating when you receive exciting news but before you have time to process it, someone shakes their head and interjects, “Consider the source!” And just like that, your bubble is burst!

What an unfortunate phrase! Those three short words, “Consider the source,” prove to be game changers. They indicate the bearer of the news lacks credibility. Perhaps the speaker is not a good listener and misses out on pertinent detail. It’s possible the bearer of the news does not seek truth, rendering them an unreliable source of information. But, for whatever reason, their words cannot be trusted.

In scripture, David’s relationship with King Saul offers a glimpse at the perils of “consider the source” people. King Saul’s jealousy placed David in danger. But when David extended grace and spared the king’s life, Saul offered a rare gesture of gratitude. Not only did he apologize to David, but he also called for a truce. However, what happened next must not go unnoticed. “Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.”

Do you find this a bit odd? After living in caves and running for his life as a fugitive, certainly David longed for home. So why not head there as quickly as his legs would take him? Why, instead, return to his safe place? Might it be that Saul’s words and actions rarely lined up with truth? Yes, Saul was a “consider the source” person. And if you know the rest of the story, you realize the wisdom in David’s caution, for Saul was not to be trusted.

Their story gives us cause to examine our own character. Do our actions flow from a heart meriting trust? Are our words honorable or are they disregarded as soon as we walk away? Do others feel the need to follow up what we say with additional sources of proof? If so, might we be a “consider the source” person?

Our actions and our words reside within the same heart. If we seek the heavenly Father, all we do and say will be found trustworthy. So may we pray for a heart beyond reproach. May our words flow from truth. And may our actions reflect the spirit of our living God.

Father God, may we always speak with truth and love. May we never be regarded as a “consider the source” person.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

God was good to us when He gave us a guidebook for the church. Everything we need to know about His church is in His Word. We don’t have to come up with it on our own. We don’t have to vote on it. We don’t have to hope we’re getting it right. All we have to do is open the Bible and follow the pattern.

Consider some fundamental, important aspects that we learn about in the New Testament:

• who is the head of the church
• the organization of the church
• how one becomes a member of the church
• what we are supposed to do in worship
• how we live as members of the church

Every congregation that follows God’s pattern in these areas will look like and be His church. It’s that simple. “We speak where the Bible speaks and are silent where the Bible is silent.” I’ve heard this saying for years and find it reassuring because using the same divine pattern promotes unity and removes contradiction or confusion.

How do we know if we’re a part of the New Testament church in the sea of today’s church choices? How do we know if the worship we lift up to God is what He really wants? It is wonderful and empowering to know that all we have to do is compare it to what we read in the Bible. Hold it up to the pattern and see if it looks the same!

“Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.“

(2 Timothy 1:13)

By Kathy Pollard

Matthew 28: 5 – 7A “The angel said to the women, ‘Don’t be afraid.  I know you are looking for Jesus, the one who was killed on the cross.  But he is not here.  He has risen from death, as he said he would.  Come and see the place where his body was.  And go quickly and tell his followers Jesus has risen from death.’”

There are certain universal phrases parents dread hearing. “I need a frog costume for school tomorrow,” or “My stomach hurts,” make even the strongest of parents shudder. My personal words of distress have always been, “It’s Empty.” Daily something runs out: the milk jug, the chip bag, or heaven forbid, the toilet paper!

In contrast, we find the words, “It’s Empty,” celebrated in Matthew 28: 1–15. This “empty story” tells of an empty tomb. With Jesus’s death, all hope for a Messiah had died. No one could fathom that a cross would be God’s plan. Those who had believed saw all hope vanish as evidence pointed to the fact Jesus was not who He had claimed to be.

Then early on Sunday as women arrived at His tomb, they were met by an angel. How could they have realized His words to them would rock the world to its core.

“He (Jesus) is not here; for He is risen.”   

The look of confusion on the women’s faces surely reminded this angel how deeply we humans crave affirmation. So, the angel beckoned the women, “Come and see,” the empty tomb, then instructed them, “Go and tell.”

Yes, JESUS HAD RISEN FROM DEATH! What a tender scene it must have been as a loving Father bent over the lifeless body of His Son to breathe precious life back into death. Surely this was another great act of sacrifice from a Father anxious to receive His Son back home (Acts 2:24).

For Christians, past, present, and future, the empty tomb confirms Jesus as the Son of God and our Savior. Just like those women long ago, we too are commissioned to “Come and see. Go and tell.” The love we encounter at the cross will stir us to go and tell others because, like the women at the tomb, those words, “It is Empty!” are just too glorious to keep to ourselves.

Father, thank you for breathing human life back into Your Son allowing him to conquer death. May we ever glory in the words, “It is Empty!”

Blessings of Eternal Life,
Rita Cochrane

As time allows this week, read the four Gospel accounts of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Each account offers new glimpses to the glory of an empty tomb.
Matthew 28
Mark 16
Luke 24
John 20

Don’t you love visiting a congregation while traveling and discovering some sort of connection with one of the members? It seems like no matter where you go, you find someone who knows someone you know. What do we say when that happens? “It’s a small world!”

It makes me smile when that happens because that seemingly random connection is a reminder that we are all united in Christ (John 17:22-23). We are one body, made up of many members (Romans 12:4-5). If you’ve attended a family reunion, you know that there could be people there you haven’t actually met. The first thing you do is discover how you’re related. They explain, “I’m your aunt’s first cousin’s husband’s sister.” You say, “Oh wow, that’s so great, nice to meet you!” What’s so great about it? Just the fact that you’re connected. And when it comes to family, the more the merrier! (Or maybe I just feel that way because I come from a relatively small family.) With that connection comes a sense of belonging, confirms that sense of belonging. And we all want that.

The fact that we’re all brothers and sisters in Christ whether we’ve met or not is already a beautiful blessing of Christianity. But there’s something extra special about those threads that bind us together when we run into people who somehow know our people. When that happens, it’s like discovering a “kindredness” because of the mutual connection. God keeps giving us reasons to enjoy being with His people!

“So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

(Romans 12:5)

Kathy Pollard

Matthew 27:22a “Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? They all said to him, ‘Let Him be crucified!’”

Jesus stood bound before Pilate as the angry mob surrounded the governor’s residence. Without a doubt, the ruler sought a peaceful solution in hopes of quickly de-escalating their rage.

Jesus the Christ was innocent of any wrong (Mark 15:10), but that did not seem to matter. Acting like children, the Jews’ hatred of Jesus stemmed from jealousy. So, Pilate resorted to the tactic used by all mothers of toddlers and presented the mob with a choice. He would release one prisoner. Would it be their most notorious criminal, Barabbas? Or would it be Jesus the Christ, the sinless Son of God?

As far as the governor was concerned, he offered a no-brainer choice and Jesus would soon be freed, for why would anyone want to release a murderer to kill again? But the anger of the mob grew volatile and hatred clouded their reasoning. Soon Pilate realized his plan had backfired.

“Release Barabbas!” the people shouted.

Pilate could not believe his ears. In desperation, he responded to the shouts with one final question:

“What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

Now friend, here is where this story gets difficult. Truth is, we are called to answer this same question every single day, and it is not always easy to get it right.

When faced with decisions that will place our reputation in jeopardy, what will we do with Jesus? Will we recall His desire for us to be a light in this dark world? Will our light bring Him glory? (Matthew 5:16)

When the actions of others leave us red-faced and retaliation seems oh so sweet, what will we do with Jesus? Will we think of Christ turning the other cheek? (Matthew 5:39)

When our thoughts and desires are consumed with the pleasures of the world, what will we do with Jesus? Will we forget to seek first His kingdom and His righteous before all else? (Matthew 6:33)

When co-workers, church family, or neighbors irritate us to the point of exhaustion, what will we do with Jesus? Didn’t Jesus say to love our enemies and do good to those who take advantage of us? (Matthew 5:44)

Friend, each day will find us faced with, what shall we do with Jesus? Remember, Pilate answered it poorly. The question is, how will we respond?

Father God, may we never fail to look to You in all our decisions.

Blessings,

Rita Cochrane

In the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the wicked queen would stand before her magic mirror and ask the question, “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. Who is the fairest one of all.” The answer would always be, “Thou, O Queen, art the fairest in the land.” When Snow White became a beautiful young lady, the mirror told the Queen that Snow White was the fairest.

Being the fairest in the land was the most important thing in the world to the wicked Queen. For some in the modern world, being the most attractive, having the most beautiful clothes, having the biggest house, and having the latest model car all mean more than anything to the worldly woman. For the Christian woman, the most important thing in the world should be, “Can you see Christ in my life?”

In order to answer the question for our study today, we need to look at the attributes of Christ and then see if we can find those attributes in who we are. Then we will see how we can put those attributes into our lives.

When we think about the attributes of our Lord, it isn’t difficult to see the good things in His life. The ultimate sacrifice was His giving His life for us. For now, put aside the fact that He came to die for our sins and concentrate on who this man was in His physical life.

Everything about Him can be summed up in the statement in Luke 2:52. “And Jesus increased in wisdom, and in stature, and in favor with God and man.” He was a learner. He spent time with the scholars in Jerusalem asking questions and learning from those He respected. He grew physically. Though the Bible tells us He was not handsome, He grew as any normal child did. He found favor with God, and He found favor with mankind. He subjected Himself to God and to His parents.

The attributes of Christ can be found in His everyday life. I’ll briefly mention six. The first one constitutes the foundation for all the others. He was a man of prayer. He prayed when He needed strength from God. He prayed when He was about to perform a miracle or to forgive sins. He prayed when He was hurting and when He was suffering. In those prayers we find a second attribute. He was respectful of the Father. He always prayed, “Thy will be done.”

Jesus was a student of God’s Word. He knew the law. He honored the Jewish feast days. He knew the stories of the Old Testament, and He had respect for the Jewish way of life.

He was a servant. He didn’t mind washing feet, kneeling on the ground, eating with the publicans and sinners, walking the long dusty roads of Judea and Galilee, or bearing His own cross to Calvary.

He had compassion on the sick, the bereaved, the sinful. He exhibited sympathy and pity in the healing of the sick, raising the dead, and feeding the hungry. He exhibited that sympathetic pity that shows concern for the suffering of all mankind.

He was accepting of others. He did not condone their sin, but He accepted them where they were and then taught them, moving them from unbelief to belief when He could get through to them.

Finally, Jesus fulfilled His purpose. He knew His purpose, and He lived a life to fulfill it.

Now we need to answer the question the title proposes. Do you see Christ in me at all? We can’t perform miracles, but we can have respect for God, be a woman of prayer, be a student of God’s Word, live a life of service, have compassion on mankind, and be accepting of others. Colossians 3:12-17 tells us what we need to do to be such women.

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so. You also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

When we live by Paul’s words, we can know that others can see Christ in us.

Sandra Oliver

It was the week before Christmas when I got a call from a friend who was about to bestow on me a much-desired gift; rabbit manure. We were both out of town. She dropped the bag of bunny poo on our driveway, and it is now being used to fertilize the greedy little violas that have survived the mild winter.

The “black gold” that my generous friend had dropped off was likewise distributed generously to the plants in the garden, partly because it had congealed over the winter into a sticky, heavy sludge, coming off my trowel in big chunks.

The fertilizer of choice for our beloved irises and daylilies is an organic fertilizer that comes in powdered form, easy to apply in small quantities. One year a local nursery had huge bags of it on clearance, and I felt a little like Santa Claus as I bestowed it on everything with broad sweeps of my arms.

It gives us a great feeling of accomplishment when we can be generous to the plants in our care, and see the results.

Why not apply this to our treatment of people? No, not throwing manure on them, as our sinful propensity tends to lean towards. There is altogether too much nitpicking and overcritical attitudes among us already.

“Armchair quarterback” is a phrase we use to describe someone who sits back comfortably while being critical of those out there “playing the game” so to speak. We should be more like cheerleaders (although fully clothed)!

Like my bargain fertilizer and free manure, genuine praise costs us little or nothing. We could hold back and think nice things about people; I know I do. But without saying something, it’s like keeping that fertilizer in a bag under the potting table — useless. It has to be applied.

A gardening friend recently solved a water drainage problem in her yard by installing a channel with pea gravel, meandering artistically and lined with mossy rocks. It was a thing of beauty, although the backbreaking work was done for practicality. She seemed surprised by the praise she received, although she is a true inspiration to fellow gardeners. I wonder if we too often stand afar and admire others silently, and true praise and encouragement is becoming rare?

The scriptures are full of encouragement, the first and foremost being that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son to die for us (John 3:16). Barnabas stands out as an example of encouragement to others. We can do likewise, if we only take the small step of putting into words the good things we see in others.

Don’t wait for a funeral to say something good about a person. Be as specific as possible, particularly to your preacher. “Good sermon” is a lot different from “I appreciated the connection/application you made with ____,” or “that motivates me to _____.”

Other everyday examples can seem small and insignificant, but can brighten somebody’s day, or week, or life. “It’s an encouragement to see you here every Sunday and Wednesday.”

“That blue shirt really lights up your eyes.”

“You always have a smile even when you are going through a tough time. That inspires me.”

“My kids think you’re cool.”

“Your marriage and lives together have made the world a better place.”

As we train our mouths to refrain from tearing down, let’s also train them to stop withholding praise. We could be actively building each other up!

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it” (Proverbs 3:27, NASB).

Christine (Tina) Berglund