Nile Street Notes Anna Church of Christ 104 Nile Street, Anna, Illinois 62906 833-5815

Website: www.annachurchofchrist.com

Vol 24. Issue 15 Apr. 11, 2010

“You’re Too Narrow-Minded!!!”

Have you ever had anyone tell you that when you tried to present the plan of salvation to them?

Most people believe in various plans of salvation that are not supported by Scripture. Then when we try to present the truth to them, because we are not ecumenical in religious thinking, we are deemed narrow-minded. We are looked at as pompous and bigoted. What should our response to this be?

First of all, we need to remember that being narrow-minded is not always bad. For example, when I go to the doctor, I’m grateful that he is narrow-minded. Imagine that I went to my physician he gave me a whole bunch of different medicines and told me to take whatever I felt like–that one was probably just as good as another? That would be absurd. I’m glad that my doctor is narrow-minded enough to diagnose a specific problem and prescribe a specific solution.

We also need to remember that as Christians we are in sales, not management. Jesus established the only way of salvation when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). The only way to heaven is through Jesus. The only way into (and thus through) Jesus is faith in Him (Rom. 3:26; Gal. 2:16). A part of that faith in Him is being baptized into Him to contact His soul-cleansing blood sacrifice (Rom. 6:3-5; Gal. 3:27). It is Jesus Himself who said. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16).

If we proclaim this, many will say to us that we are being too narrow-minded. Maybe we should respond by answering “I’m only as narrow-minded as Christ was!” Think about it. Jesus was very “narrow-minded” when it came to following Him. In Matt. 7:13-14 He declared, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Let’s just stick with Jesus – with His words and His ways. They may seem narrow to men, but they are wide enough to get us to heaven.

--Edd Sterchi via Family Matters

SERMON TOPICS

A.M. – “The Unpardonable Sin”

(Mt. 12:30-31)

P.M. – “Personal Preference – A False Way”

(Ps. 119:98-104)

Those For Whom We Are Praying:

Kathleen Ritchey

Mitchell Shock – Grandson of Rosemary’s cousin.

Jerry Ward

Bonnie Mangum

Virginia McIntyre

Jerry Toler – battling prostate cancer. Remember Ann in your prayers as well.

Margeurite Ledgerwood – Has been moved to Cash, Ark. with family. Her current address & phone number are on the bulletin board.

Sue Thornsberry’s father. Sees a cardiologist tomorrow.

Quotable Quote: “Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.” - William Shakespeare

Wisdom From Proverbs: “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” (Prov. 12:18).

Welcome! If you're visiting with us, we extend you a special welcome and invite you to come back at every opportunity. If our worship seems unusual to you, please let us know what you find different. We endeavor to worship "in Spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:24) and do only what scripture authorizes (Col. 3:17, Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18-19).

NEWS & UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

* Please remember to mute or turn off cell phones.

* Gospel Meetings: One with Jim Faughn at Jackson, MO, and another at Marion w/Bryan McAlister. Both begin today and

last through the 14^th.

* Gospel Meeting at Vienna April 25-28 w/Mike Kiser speaking.

* There will be a teachers' meeting at the Ward's following the evening service next week. It's for all who are teaching, have

taught, or would like to teach. Please bring a finger food.

* Today is Flower Fund Sunday. See Kristie to contribute.

* Please clip “Box Tops For Education” & put them in the box in the Preacher’s office.

* Please continue to drop any Bible questions in the Question & Answer box in the foyer.

* American Family Association (AFA) has suspended its boycott of PepsiCo, who owns Frito-Lay. Campbell Soup has not

discontinued support for the homosexual agenda. Please continue boycotting them.

* Hearing assistance available upon request.

BIBLE QUESTION/ANSWER:

Last week’s answer: Hannah & Penninah (I Sam. 1:2).

New question: What is the last book of the Old Testament?

Sentence Sermon: “Sin always has an "I" in the middle.”

Birthdays &Anniversaries

Katie McAlister - 4/14

Steve Wilkins - 4/14

Kathleen Ritchey - 4/17

Judas Iscariot – A Portrait of Tragedy

One of the most tragic scenes in the Bible occurs at the time when Jesus is bound and being led to His death. It involves not Him, but His betrayer, Judas (Mt. 10:4). What drove Judas to betray His Lord? It’s possible that he was angry over being rebuked publicly at the house of Simon the Leper (Mt. 26:6-14) and wanted to seek some measure of revenge. Perhaps his own greed and dishonest nature contributed to his betrayal of Christ. John describes him as a devil (Jn. 6:70) and a thief (Jn. 12:6). Whatever his motivation, he sold out the purest, noblest blood for a mere 30 pieces of silver.

How did he feel about this? Did he go on his way and never look back? No. He saw that he was condemned, which he would have realized from seeing Jesus being taken to Pilate, and he repented himself (Metamelomai - “to regret”). The word used for repentance to salvation is metaneo (Acts 2:38; Mt. 3:2; Luke 13:3) and entails much more than regret. Genuine repentance involves a turning from sin and turning to God. Did Judas’ regret constitute Godly repentance? Was it enough to save Judas? No. Judas was remorseful, but this was not a godly repentance that would lead to salvation. Consider the evidence that indicates Judas was still unsaved: he betrays innocent blood for money, feels guilty, returns the money, and commits suicide. These are the actions of a guilty conscience, not a forgiven one.

It’s worthy of notice that Judas didn’t even turn to the one who could have helped him while in the pit of despair. He turned to the chief priests to confess his sin, instead of to his Lord. He confessed, but not to God. He confessed the betraying of innocent blood, but did not confess his wicked love of money, which was the root of this evil (I Tim. 6:10). Judas instead confessed to the chief priests. How did they respond to Judas? Their answer was, “What is that to us? See thou to that.” In other words, “That’s your problem. What do we care?” Contrast that with the attitude of the thief on the cross beside Jesus, who turned to the right source and said, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Jesus’ loving answer stands in stark contrast to that of the chief priests, “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Judas met his end because he broke the law of God in betraying innocent blood (Ex. 23:7), was consumed with greed (I Tim. 6:10), and did not truly repent. Thus, he fell into a deep depression – experienced a profound hopelessness – and took matters into his own hands, ending his life. How tragic! Yet, how else could any life end who would betray his or her Lord?

You’ll remember that Peter denied Jesus (Mt. 26), but Peter, on the other hand, repented, believed, and was pardoned. He went on to preach the 1^st Gospel sermon and 3000 responded to it (Acts 2).

Dear Soul, are you faithful to your Lord, or are you as guilty of betraying Him as Judas? If you’ve not been baptized for the remission of sins and thus put into His Kingdom, then you’re being disloyal to Him – betraying Him. This is especially true if you’ve become one of His children, but have turned your back on Him and no longer put Him first in all that you do (II Pet. 2:20-22). If your conscience is gnawing at you to change your life, succeed where Judas failed and turn to the One who died for you (Rom. 5:8) Take advantage of His atoning blood and experience the joy that comes with salvation.

- R.W.