GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME!
NORTH CAROLINA CHURCH OF CHRIST
April 21, 2024
Home: Jennifer Davis
Cedar View: Barbara Parker
El Reposo: Eldora Clemmons/104
Florence Rehab: Pam Hamner
LCNH: Prue Kelley/1
SHUT INS: Freddie Davis, Stacy McCormack, Evelyn
Newton, Betty Scott, Glen & Vicki Wright.
Please remember those in the nursing homes and our
Shut-Ins
ISAIAH’S CALL: Please continue to bring Hamburger
Helper Meals or give your donations to Amy, Ann, or
Pat.
The Lesson for next week in the Auditorium Class is
Two Men Named Lamech, A Study in Contrast.
Men – The material for the Auditorium Class for the
Spring Quarter is on the table in the foyer. Please look
at the lessons and sign your name to teach. The lessons
are inside the folder.
Please check the Bulletin Board for cards, etc.
The financial report for March is on the table in the Library.
There will be a Teachers’s Meeting next Sunday, April
28th, immediately after morning services. Please make
plans to attend.
The Monthly Shut-In Meal is next Friday, April 26th.
Please bring your dishes to the F’ship Bldg. by 10 a.m.
A huge THANK YOU! to all who came and helped with
the work day at church last Saturday. Lots of tasks got done
and much was accomplished.
REMEMBER IN PRAYERS
Our Prayer List continues to grow. Please keep these
folks in your thoughts and prayers.
Michelle Bernstein, Alma Butler, Billy Bryant, Vicki Burbank, Donnie Carroll, Tom Childers, Jane Clark, Mitch Clemmons, Jim Clemmons, Brandon Cody, Caitlyn Dennis, Tammy Dial, Devin Faires, Dakota Garney, Bridgett Gattis, Carter Glascock, Kayla Hamner, Pam Hamner, Lori Hargett, Shirley Harmon, Cypress Hayes, Taylor Hendrix, Vickie Herston, Lana Hines, Christine Holden, Cindy & David Holden, Cindy James, Jewel Jaynes, Josh Jones, Joan Kell, Brock Killen, Don Lakey, Andy Lee, Franklin Lee, Madalyn Littrell, Brenda MacDonald, Charles Miller, Porter Mitchell, Peggy Montgomery, Luke Oliver, Tracy Pace, Micah Parker, Ethan Pennington, Kenzie Perkins, Dennis Phillips, Tamika Powell, Mike Prince, Linda Rickard, Lazaro Ruiz, Mike Schmidlkofer, Jean Symore, Steve Shelton, Barbara Smith, Betty Sparkman, Kevin Springer, Earl Tank, Brad Tank, Judy Tays, Patrice Tucker, Rene Voser, Luke White, Donna Wilkerson, Joyce Word, Glen & Vicki Wright
JUST AS LONG AS YOU ARE SINCERE…
We live in a day where so many have decided that all that matters in being right with God is to fervently serve Him. They feel that the way you serve Him is different for every person and it matters little how that devotion is shown. This widespread belief is the underlying basis as to why there are thousands and thousands of denominations in our land. What does God reveal about this spiritual concept?
Think about how religious the Jews were when Jesus came to the earth. The apostle Paul said, “I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God” (Rom. 10:2). They were by far the one nation that worshiped God. The first century world was divided into pagan “denominations,” and in the midst of paganism, the Jews assembled every Sabbath day to read and study the Bible and pray fervently to God.
The New Testament describes the devotion of the Jews. They prayed long prayers and were not ashamed to do it publicly (Matt. 6:5; 23:14). They gave great attention to making sure that God received ten percent (a tithe) of everything they had. In fact, they even counted the number of leaves on their mint bushes and gave Him a tenth of them (Matt. 23:23). Many of them fasted twice each week (Matt. 6:16; Luke 18:12).
Jesus described how zealously evangelistic they were when he told how they would travel across both land and sea (perhaps indicating the Mediterranean Sea) just to convert one Gentile to God (Matt. 23:15). Were they right with God because of what they were doing? Jesus came to seek and save those who were lost, and He came to this nation who fervently served God in their own way. They were lost!
Many of the Jews’ religious leaders in that day were hypocritical in their devotion, but look at one example that shows even those who were honestly serving God still had not found Him. The apostle Paul always followed his conscience (Acts 23:1). He said, “I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and man” (Acts 24:16). The Hebrews were the most devout nation, and Paul was the most devout Hebrew (Phil. 3:5). What was his relation with God? He was chief of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15)!
They were lost because zeal without knowledge does not save. Paul says, “They being ignorant of God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own righteousness have not submitted to the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:3). Consider these words carefully from Jesus, especially if you think that it makes little difference. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will My Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). No one is saved without zeal, but zeal without obedience cannot bring salvation.
Dan Jenkins
Via: Palm Beach Lakes Church of Christ
Palm Beach Gardens, FL