Mineral Springs Church of Christ Podcast

What does it mean to be king? Kraig Martin, a professor at Harding University, say that in worldly terminology, we may think of someone who is in total control of a region, one who is all powerful, whose word is law. A king lords his authority over his subjects. Jesus, however, reveals that His kingdom doesn't work that way. In Mark 10: 42-44, Jesus says, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all." He tells his disciples that His kingdom will not operate as those on earth do. We are not to use force, trickery, or pity to manipulate others, for God doesn't do that with us. Proper influence and control work in the church as we empty ourselves and become servants just as Christ emptied himself. "He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness" (Phil. 2:7). God doesn't want an army of robots. He wants us to partner with Him in the kingdom. He wants us to be involved in the kingdom and not just remain in a master/slave relationship. We are His children!

Have you been broken like Humpty Dumpty? Do you feel that not even "all the king's horses and all the king's men" can put you back together again? Beginning with Jeremiah 30:17, Willie Williams of The Colony Church of Christ in The Colony, Texas, assures listeners that God can restore what people cannot. You may feel like you've lost, but God will not leave you alone. God always wins! He remained with Abraham knowing that Abraham would become a great nation even when Abraham had no children. He saw Noah even when the rest of humanity had given themselves over to wickedness. God will work with you. God will work through you. Or, God will work in spite of you. What tomorrow does God see for you? Will you walk by faith into that future. God says, "I'm still with you. Don't quit on me!"

No one wants to suffer, yet Mike Ireland of Searcy, Arkansas, points out in his sermon that there are good things that can come from suffering. Our suffering can help us release our grip on this world. We learn that people are more important than things. It can make us more useful to others, and our suffering can deepen our fellowship with God. We give meaning to our suffering through our response to our suffering. Romans 5:3 tells us to rejoice in our suffering because of what it will produce in us. We may never have answers to why suffering happens to us or to others,  we find we are most vulnerable when we face trials we either can't avoid or can't control. How will we respond? Job responded with worship, strong faith in God, and a determination to carefully guard against sin. Will our suffering lead us toward glory or shame? Will it cause us to honor or dishonor God.

We've experienced a lot of changes in our world since the beginning of the Pandemic in 2020. Life has been anything but what we would consider normal, but John Phillips of the Pinnacle Church of Christ in Little Rock assures listeners that there is a way to handle the new normal. He reminds listeners that God's way is always forward. We can't go back, but there are three realizations that will help us cope: 1) Realize God never changes; 2) Realize God's word is true and trustworthy; and, 3) Realize God's promises will never fail. Life changes; God does not. Our job is not to change the church to be more like the world. Our job is to change the world. Our hope is not in science; our hope is in God. God will lead us every step of the way.  

Have you ever been hated? How did that feel? Christ knew what it was to be hated, and those who  live the Christian life must know that they will experience rejection. Christians must be willing to accept their death to this world before they can know the power of the resurrection, dying to the way they think things ought to be. Journeys aren't always what people expect. Sometimes they have to let a dream die. Randy Willingham of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, challenges listeners to question how much they trust God, asking if they can trust Him through death and reminding them that God never fails to show up. 

Our faithfulness is determined by how we live life day to day. Lee Henson uses Romans 8 and verses from Ezra to show us what a life walked in and by the Spirit will look like. How will we be remembered? It probably will not be by some great thing we've done but by the simple everyday practices that impacted others day by day. 

**Note - The audio did not record correctly at the beginning of the lesson; therefore, the audio begins a few minutes into the lesson. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Kelly Neill, a professor at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, addresses anxiety and worry using the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 6. Neill reminds us that Jesus directs our attention to the birds and to the flowers and the care that God provides for them then tells us that since we are worth much more than flowers or birds, we can count on God to take care of us. God does not take care of the flowers or birds or any other creatures because of what they do for Him. Neither is our worth in what we do. Jesus goes on to say, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." God will take care of you!

Harding University professor Kraig Martin uses the story of Hannah in the book of first Samuel to illustrate the way we can find true joy in our lives. First and foremost, he says, is to remove idols from our lives, whatever they may be. He goes on to contrast Hannah's approach to God with Eli's. Their approaches were different, and their outcomes were as well. Hannah's outcome was triumphant, but Eli's was tragic. Choosing joy means choosing to make the hard decisions in life. Decisions like the ones Hannah made.

Dustin Finch of Jonesboro, Arkansas, reminds listeners of their place in God's story by outlining the story from the beginning until today to show the evolution of God's kingdom, God's plan for His people. Finch begins with the creation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden showing the pattern of the kingdom. Adam and Eve's sin results in the the perished kingdom. With Abraham begins the promised kingdom. When Israel comes out of Egypt, we see the partial kingdom. As Israel turns to false gods, God's prophets warn them to turn back to God and look forward to the prophesied kingdom. With Jesus' arrival, the prophesied kingdom has come. He initiates the present kingdom, the age during which we now live. Living in this story, we have the opportunity to look forward to God's perfected kingdom, which is yet to come. 

God told Abraham to leave his country and most of his family and travel to a place he didn't know. He made promises to bless Abraham, telling him He would make of him a great nation. Abraham moved forward by faith, waiting 25 years before the promise of a child was fulfilled. Willie Williams III, minister at the North Colony Church of Christ in The Colony, Texas, says the first step is the hardest, the step that signs us up for commitment to walk in the way of Jesus and encourages listeners to take that first step of faith into a lifetime commitment to Christ. Are we willing to be an Abraham, to listen to God and move when our lives aren't going the way we planned, when church doesn't look the way we think it ought to look, when the world isn't how we thought it was supposed to be? Are we willing to take the first step? Are you?