| Volume XXVI |
December
2005
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Number
5
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Spring Semester Begins January 3, 2006
“Preaching Christ Of Envy And Strife”
In reflecting on the present state of things, I am reminded that there is a truth that must never be forgotten. When Christ is preached we must be grateful.
Envy Here is a truth that is so evident that we would not need the Bible to make us aware of it. Envy is destructive to the individual who cultivates it as Job 5:2 states, “For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.” The fruits of envy are not beautiful. Note the classifications in Proverbs 27:4 , “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?” Again in Romans 1:29: “Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers.” However, we must keep in mind that God is able to accomplish good, even though we may suffer at the hands of envious brethren. In Acts 7:9 we read, “And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him.” Strife If we are to be faithful, we must do all we can to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:1-3). Jesus states that a characteristic of those who make up the kingdom of heaven is to be a peace maker (Matt. 5:9). Albert Barnes comments on this text are worth our reflection: “What was the ground of this ‘envy and strife’ the apostle does not mention. It would seem, however, that even in Rome there was a party which was jealous of the influence of Paul, and which supposed that this was a good opportunity to diminish his influence, and to strengthen their own cause. He was not now at large so as to be able to meet and confute them. They had access to the mass of the people. It was easy, under plausible pretenses, to insinuate hints about the ambitious aims, or improper influence of Paul, or to take strong ground against him and in favour of their own views, and they availed themselves of this opportunity.” Our Preaching We know that our preaching will not be appreciated by some. However, we must keep before us the charge to preach the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned” (1Tim 1:5). Greek Class offered on Tuesday evenings, see schedule of classes above.
As I write this report, it is only a week before the Thanksgiving holiday. Of all of the holidays devised by American culture this must surely rank as the greatest. Imagine an entire holiday devoted to thinking about how we have been blessed by God and our fellow man. In Luke chapter seventeen we read that Jesus healed ten lepers. Of the ten only one took the time to say thank you, and it was that act that separated him from the other nine. At the Florida School of Preaching we have been blessed by many loyal congregations and individuals who have supported us over the years. We do not take your support for granted. Also, many have come to our aid over the past year as we have made known our need for additional financial help. Some who have supported us for many years have raised their level of support, while others have recently made us a part of their budget. To all who have come to aid us in our time of need we say, “Thank you.” My travels took me to Georgia multiple times over the past month. It was my privilege to visit with two congregations in the Savannah, Georgia area. Once a month a student or instructor from the school preaches for the Parkway and Savannah Islands churches of Christ. In addition to these congregations, on November 6, I spoke during the Sunday morning worship assembly in Ashburn, Georgia while one of our students, Rick Kenyon, spoke during the Bible class. I also visited with several congregations in Florida. On October 23, I visited with the church in Lake Butler, Florida. Lake Butler is in Union County, Florida where many of the largest prisons in the state are located. The Lake Butler congregation has been very devoted to prison evangelism over the years. On November 6, I visited with the church in Live Oak, Florida. Though I have been in the north Florida area for many years, this was my first opportunity to visit with the downtown church in Live Oak. I look forward to being with them again soon. I urge any congregations or individuals to contact me if they would like to know more about the Florida School of Preaching. Our need for additional support continues and we are always interested in meeting with men who are interested in attending classes.
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In more than forty years of preaching, I have never seen the degree of strife and turmoil present in our brotherhood. When I became the Associate Director of the school in 1985 there were many congregations that would give us a hearing regarding training preachers and strengthening congregations. Today the strife is so intense, it is most difficult to find those interested in supporting our work, and it is very difficult to find those willing to make the sacrifice to preach.