THE TRENTON BULLETIN

THE TRENTON BULLETIN

Trenton Church of Christ, Trenton, Florida

There is a church in your community which has no bowling club, no softball team; nor does it sponsor a Boy Scout troop. The physical property of this church includes a very modern place for assembly and worship, with many modern, air-conditioned classrooms for Bible study; but in all of this widespread plant, there is no kitchen, no banquet hall, no gymnasium, and no party room.

Your first thought may be, "What a strange church! What strange people? Perhaps. However, many of these church members are your neighbors; and in fairness to them, and to you, we should explain that they are very normal people. Many of them enjoy bowling, and softball; some serving as trainers and managers for various Little League teams. Our young men "make the team" in High School, and College; and the parents cheer them on with enthusiasm. But the church is not used as a civic or social club. By now you may be asking, "Then what does this congregation offer me? What does she offer the community in which we live?" These are fair questions and demand fair, open answers.

Not a social club; not a civic organization; not a political forum; not a Public Welfare Institution—although the influence of Christianity has been felt in all these worth-while fields of human endeavor. Members of the Lord's church, who are businessmen, bring honesty and fairness into commercial and domestic relations. Christian men and women, richly endowed with the Spirit of Christ's love for mankind, have made better communities, cleaner politics, and have done much to relieve the sufferings of humanity. But the church of the New Testament, the Lord's church, has a very special reason for existing—a divine reason for existing—with a purpose and work that demands attention and precedence over all else in this life.

The church, as a functional organization, was established by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to fill a need, to do a work that no human institution could possibly perform. We deplore the fact that many religious institutions of the present have smothered the real purpose of the church beneath civic, social, and domestic affairs. They feed hungry souls with hamburgers. But when all the needs—or desires of this life have been met, and we find we must leave this life—what then? "What shall a man give in exchange for his soul" (Matthew 16:26)?

Jesus said, “And upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). The church was to be built upon the truth that Jesus was the Christ – “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11); a truth fully proven by His resurrection from death (Romans 1:4). By this sacrifice of Himself, Christ "bought" the church (Acts 20:28); He "gave Himself for it" (Ephesians 5:25). Reading such scriptures concerning the church of Christ we are impressed with the sacredness of this divine institution. She can have no trivial purpose, nor is such assigned her by the Word of God.

From Ephesians 3:10-11 we read, "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:" Can a community social center serve so noble a purpose?

In 1 Timothy 3:15 Paul writes to Timothy, "That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." The church "holds aloft" truth—and the reference is to spiritual TRUTH that saves souls. Shall we replace divine truth with book reviews and travelogues? God forbid! But some may say, "We live in the 20th Century. The church must meet the needs of today!" Exactly so! We have many fine civic and social organizations, which can meet the physical needs of our community today. Members of the New Testament church, as parents and citizens, individually support and promote all wholesome efforts to better the lot of mankind in this life. But this 20th Century is woefully lacking in emphasis upon the soul of man, and his eternal welfare. The church must meet the need of today—the very greatest need of all being the peculiar and distinctive benefits offered mankind by Christ.

We offer this community simple New Testament Christianity. Our primary concern is with the spiritual needs of mankind—his need for God, for forgiveness of sins, for genuine God-satisfying worship, for the pureness of conscience that can come from living, working, worshiping according to the directions of the Word of God.

As people, we know we are not perfect. "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves; but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you" 2 Corinthians 10:12-13).

We make no plea of greatness on our own part, but pledge ourselves to strive diligently to follow the rule of God, the divine message. We speak where the Bible speaks, and are silent where the Bible is silent. Visit with us soon—and let us welcome your honest investigation of the church of Christ in this community.

There is a story told of a community of fishermen that loved to get together to talk about fishing. They met once a week and spent hours pouring over the different ways to catch fish, the newest instruments, the most up-to-date information on the habits of fish. They met during the week to have another meeting to study fishing. Twice a year (sometimes more) grand meetings would be held inviting neighboring fishing communities to come and learn more about fishing and the importance of fishing. Speeches filled the assembly halls with examples of those who fished in days past and the great numbers of fish caught (one such story told of catching 3,000 fish in one day). Flyers were printed with all the information on how to catch fish, where to catch fish and the need to catch more fish. One could say that this community of fishermen were busy about the need of fishing and had all the resources to catch fish daily. Sadly with all the energy put into the science of fishing, few fish were ever caught and sometimes a few years would go by before even one fish was caught.

The problem in this fishing community was very simple. While everyone agreed on the need to catch fish only a few (if any) ever took the time to put a hook in the water and make an effort to catch fish. They knew just about everything there was to know about fishing but no one wanted to take the time to go to the river or the lake to catch fish. Some communities would hire a man to come in and do their fishing for them. Others were content to read about it but no one should expect them to do any fishing. Remarkably there were many who thought the fish would just jump out of the water and into the boat – why should they do anything – let the fish come to them.

With all the great evangelism plans and gospel meetings about teaching others, the words of Jesus still ring true today: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). The emphasis should be made of the need to “GO” and the only way to “MAKE” disciples of all the nations is to have someone sit down with someone and teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord further admonishes the need of “TEACHING THEM” and that takes individuals teaching individuals. All of this requires ‘putting a hook in the water’ but you can’t put a hook in the water unless you GO to the water.

“Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them” (Acts 8:5). “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to [the eunuch]” (Acts 8:35). Cornelius tells Peter "So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord” (Acts 10:33). Paul found Lydia at the riverside in Philippi (Acts 16:11-15) and then taught the jailor and all his family (Acts 16:25-34). People taught people the gospel in the First Century.

The great need of the church today is for its citizens to realize that all the talk of saving souls is only as good as those who are willing to lay aside the busy affairs of life and spend time gleaning the fields ready for harvest. “Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest” (John 4:35). Jesus admonishes still today, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37).

Edmund Burke, great English statesman, once summed his advice gleaned from a lifetime of active, fruitful struggle, in these words: "Never despair-, but if you do, work on in despair."

Mr. Burke might have learned this great principle of successful living from the Bible at the beginning of his life, had he been disposed to consult its oracles, for certainly no truth is more frequently or generally taught.

"Patience in well doing” is not an easy lesson to learn, but it is one that must be mastered by those who would seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life (Romans 2:7). The word "patience" means vastly more than is generally understood by those who use the word. It has come to mean almost exclusively in general parlance, the disposition not to complain or grumble at one's lot in life.

Now, the Lord knows complaining is never a virtue, it is always a vice: and the grumbler h not only a nuisance, he is condemned; but patience means far more than the absence of complaint and grumbling. The supine individual who "takes it lying down" because he is too indolent or indifferent, or both, to put forth the effort to make a struggle or even to complain, is doubly doomed and damned and deserves to be.

If any are disposed to question this statement, let them inquire what was the wickedness of the unprofitable servant, and what was the disqualifying sin of the foolish virgins. The wickedness of the former was his "slothfulness" (Matthew 25:26) and the sin of the latter was their indifference; they could not see the necessity of making so much preparation. "The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut” (Matthew 25:8-10).

I have heard, people extolled as "the most patient of the patient" who had not even a casual acquaintance with the virtue of patience—they were only too indolent and indifferent to care a fig which way the world wagged, and so of course they made no complaint about anything. Neither did they make an effort to stem the tide or change the current into more fruitful channels. They were far too "patient" for that! One of the words of the original from which we have the English word "patience," in the margin of the Revised Version is consistently rendered "steadfastness." Now the word "steadfastness" gives to patience a different turn, or at least an additional significance which is very well defined by the aphorism with which this article was suggested and begun—"Never despair, but if you do, work on in despair." Patience will always bring the foe to your feet. Even violence and force are no equal for time and patience.

"So, my dear brother, be firm and unmoved, and always devote yourselves to the Lord's work, for you know through the Lord your labor is not thrown away" (I Corinthians 15:58; Goodspeed)

§ In the early days of the automobile a man’s Model-T Ford stalled in the middle of the road. He couldn’t get it started no matter how hard he cranked nor how much he tried to advance the spark or adjust things under the hood. Just then a chauffeured limousine pulled up behind him, and a wiry, energetic man stepped out from the back seat and offered his assistance. After tinkering for a few moments the stranger said, “Now try it!” Immediately the engine leaped to life. The well-dressed individual then identified himself as Henry Ford. “I designed and built these cars,” he said, “so I know what to do when something goes wrong.” God, as our creator knows how to “fix” us when our lives are broken by sin.

§ Too many churches are singing “Standing on the Promises” when they are in reality just sitting on the premises. Someone has said that every church is made up of willing workers, 10 percent are willing to do the work and the other 90 percent are willing to let them do it. Too many have learned that heaven will a place of rest and are getting all practiced up for it. (Edsel Burleson)

§ As the musician tightens the strain on his violin strings, yet is careful not to snap them asunder, but only to secure a sweeter melody and better accord, so God through affliction makes his own children more perfect instruments for his service here and in the life to come. (G.B.F. Hallock)