Mineral Springs Church of Christ Podcast

Jewish Christians had a problem. They found it hard to let go of the old covenant and fully embrace the new covenant instituted by Jesus. They likely wondered why they should they abandon the old covenant they had been raised with, that their ancestors had followed for centuries.

Brent Franks of Antlers, Oklahoma, explains that God had a plan for the first covenant, and it had a fulfilment; it ended. Jesus introduced a new covenant, a better covenant. Jesus told Peter that He would build His church, but He was talking about an institution; He was talking about a movement.

Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy in Jeremiah 31:32-34 - 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

What unites us is SIN and the forgiveness Jesus offers. It is important that we embrace the new covenant of Jesus, the covenant of grace, hope, and forgiveness.

Stephen Morris of North Little Rock uses facts about trees in a forest to illustrate the importance of human relationships. Though we may not have thought about it, trees in a forest do not live as individuals. They are interconnected with other trees and plant life found in the forest. In fact, trees will not thrive if the other supporting trees and plants are removed. We are not trees, but we have the same interconnectivity with other people. Individuals do not do well alone. They operate in a healthier manner in community with others. Just as trees suffer when their environment is damaged, humans suffer ill effects when segregated from one another. Diversity is healthy. As Paul tells us in I Corinthians 12-12-14, diverse gifts are for the benefit of all. Morris encourages us to try to find more opportunities to build relationships with others.

What is the Bible, and what should we do with it? Dale Manor, professor of archaeology at Harding University explores these questions in his sermon. While the Bible doesn't answer all the questions we might have, it does answer the essentials. Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? How do I get there? Given its importance, we need to consider how we approach the Bible and how we incorporate the Word into our lives.

This is the time of year when the world celebrates the birth of Jesus. It is a reason to celebrate, but Mike Ireland of Searcy, Arkansas, tells listeners that there is much more we can learn about God by examining the birth of Jesus. We learn how far God was willing to go to humble himself for us, allowing Jesus to be born in the most humiliating of circumstances. We also learn how much God wants us to know truth. Jesus' birth reveals how much God wants us near Him and how much God wants us to choose Him. Finally, we're reminded that God always keeps His Word, and because He has always kept His word, He will continue to do so. The birth of Jesus is cause for celebration, but there is even more to this beautiful story.

It is clear that living in this world involves suffering. We have been justified, and the hope of glory is within us. We've been crowned with glory, but the crown has been tarnished by sin, and sin's consequences cause suffering. We are to rejoice in our suffering (Phil. 3:10-11) to share in the suffering of Jesus. Suffering results in one of two possibilities. The danger is that we become less of a person and blame God when the cause of our suffering is that we live in a fallen world. The alternative is that suffering can provide an opportunity for growth and give us hope that things are going to get better. Jesus never promised us freedom from suffering but that he will be with us through the suffering. Bill Richardson of Searcy, Arkansas, leads listeners through the text of II Cor. 1 to discover three positive outcomes for suffering: 1) preparation for ministry to others; 2) realization that we are not autonomous but must rely on God; and, 3) development of an attitude of thanksgiving. Suffering allows God to grow us up and move us toward the hope of glory.

Lee Henson of Russellville, Arkansas, uses James 2 to challenge listeners to examine themselves to determine the status of their faith. Is it a faith of action, or is it mental faith?  If all we do at church is make ourselves feel good about our faith, we've done nothing. James tells us that faith without works is dead. We have opportunities every day to practice our faith. God has created us to do good works. Are we actually doing them? Belief won't make any difference unless we act on it. Live like Jesus. Love people. 

Harding professor Kraig Martin says we have to become the kind of people whose gratitude is as natural as breathing. We often have trouble being grateful because we have deep anger because of something that we want that we're not getting. Anger and resentment are poisons that destroy the vessel in which they are stored. When we hang on to entitlements, we'll become bitter and angry, but even when things aren't the way we think they're supposed to be, God can heal us. We must have a habit of deep gratitude to inherit eternal life. Martin uses Mark 6:1-6 and Luke 7:1-10 to illustrate the attitude of gratitude we must cultivate.

We are obsessed with words. We listen to political and sports talk shows and call them entertainment. People sometimes stay on hold for more than an hour just to get their chance to voice their opinions to the listening audience. Studies show that we typically hear 20,000-30,000 words a day. On average, that's about 175,000 words a week and more than nine million words a year! Though we probably don't remember many of these words, there are words we will remember, sometimes for a long time. The adage about sticks and stones and it's conclusion that words can never hurt is patently untrue. Words can hurt, and they can hurt for a very long time. James addresses the problem of the tongue in James, chapter 3, when he shows that tongue control is a key factor in controlled living. Rudders control ships; a bit controls a horse, and the tongue controls a person. If the tongue is undisciplined, chances are, the person is undisciplined as well. Mike Ireland of Searcy, Arkansas, uses James 3 and other scripture to show how tongue control is an index of one's heart.

Life is stressful. World and local disasters stress us. Illnesses stress us. Facebook posts and comments stress us. Traffic stresses us. Every day adds to the stress we feel. Being a Christian doesn't lessen our stress levels. As Christians, we have to learn how to deal with the stress. Matt Carter, Director of Admissions at Harding University, shares scriptural help for dealing with the stresses we face daily using Romans 12:12 as his text: Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Be joyful in hope. See where the joy is. Seek it out. Look for the good things. Be patient. Impatience is all about me, but the redeemed me is always better than the old me! Be under the control of the Holy Spirit. Live with a renewed mind. Be a dispenser of grace. Be faithful in prayer. Build a habit of walking with God. Read the Bible. Build a habit of walking with God. Practice times of silence and solitude. Our stressors aren't likely to go away, but we can change the ways in which we react to them. Our lives will benefit from the practice of these disciplines.

It's amazing how contemporary the Bible stays. It speaks to every generation. Gary Jackson of Searcy, Arkansas, leads listeners through the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 to remind us of the inside out, upside down focus of Jesus' kingdom. Having Jesus in mind while reading the Beatitudes reminds readers that our worldview and God's worldview are at odds. What we value, God hates. Jesus should be the model when we read about the blessings of the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. Consideration of these should prompt listeners to consider their prayer lives. When we pray for others, what do we most hope for them? For their health, happiness, and wealth? Or, do we first hope that they find God? As we explore the depths of the Beatitudes, may we seek to promote righteousness and value the priorities of the Kingdom of God.