We're Moving...

I've taken a leap and moved my blog to... http://jamescblack.wordpress.com/

I found that I can make more materials available at wordpress and so I hope you will make the leap with me and continue reading my somewhat eradic posts at my new address. Hopefully in the near future you'll also find notes for Bible classes and other materials. My students at RCA will be able to download our handouts from the site as well. Unfortunately, if you are a current e-mail subscriber to this blog, you'll have to sign up again with wordpress. Just click on the Subscribe section and its very easy! Fortunately, that involves very few... and I mean very few people.

My goal is to make the site more usable and more handy... not just a location for my random thoughts... though it'll serve that function as well. For the time being, I'm leaving this blog online, but won't be updating it. Who knows... I may miss 'blogger's unique features and want to return sometime??

Thanks! Let's go to... http://jamescblack.wordpress.com/

Sermon Player -

Little Big Man

The following is an article that came across my desk last week and I thought it should be shared with everyone. Last month I preached a lesson where I challenged us to consider what we could all do for the kingdom with “what we’ve got.” Too often we view challenges such as world hunger as “just too big” to do anything about… but oh, if we could just have the attitude of a child…

Little Big Man

Catch this idea. Little five year old Jackson Watson sees a TV program that is trying to raise awareness and money to feed starving West Africans. There are flies on these young children, they don’t have enough food to eat, the food they have is not that good for them. Jackson hits the sheets for sleep but when he awakes the next morning he decides he is going to do something about what he saw. He grabs an empty peanut butter jar, puts big stickers on the jar and writes a note so the children will know he wants them to eat good food like broccoli and carrots. (The stickers and jar are to put the flies in so they won’t be buzzing around the kids’ eyes.) He doesn’t want them to be hungry anymore. He takes the jar to Darryl who is the minister at his congregation so Darryl can get the jar to Africa to help these children.

Darryl sits and looks at the jar, decides to preach a lesson about it, puts the jar down on the Lord’s table, notices after services that there is $100 bucks in the jar, decides to bring little Jackson to the podium that evening, puts him on a chair and “little big man” explains to the congregation what he saw on TV. Enter another $509 bucks to the “bug jar.” The next Sunday another plea is made. The total is now $1000. Darryl tells the congregation about a worthy work in West Africa that is digging wells, and the farmers are raising crops. So the money is sent to help the children and this worthy work.

Now I don’t know what you think about Jackson. I don’t even know what you think about helping people that don’t have enough food to eat or have flies on their faces, but I do know this: If a five year old boy can spark an idea from “just doing the next right thing,” then people like you and me that have resources, have abilities and capabilities far greater than a five year old can do anything they set their minds to. We ought to have our minds set on preaching the gospel to the world.

What a lesson in just lifting where you stand with what you have in your hand. I hope Jackson never ever stops believing that he CAN do something about and for others.

-Lesley Brumfield—Safari for Souls 2008 Campaigner

I “amen” what Mr. Brumfield suggests. By the way… little Jackson is the grandson of our own Charles and Suzanne Higgins. What if we ALL had his same optimistic and determined spirit as Jaskson? What could we accomplish for the kingdom of God?

A Crazy Summer

It’s not that it isn’t true… I’m sure it is.  For years now people have been telling us that “these are the best years” referring to these years with our small children, Andy -8, David- 6, and Michael- 4.  I have not doubt that this sage wisdom from those parents who are just trying to encourage us is absolutely true… its just that sometimes it doesn’t FEEL like it.  I do have the sense, however, that these years are slipping away very quickly.  It seems to me that Andy should be, oh… about three… maybe four, but not eight!  Where has the time gone? 

So, I have really tried this summer to kick back, relax and spend more time at home or doing things with them.  Last Spring was so busy with baseball and school activities that I hardly felt like I had time to sit down.  So, I decided that my more flexible schedule this summer should allow me more time with them.  We’ve been to Chattanooga twice (quick trips really just to see the grandparents and spend time with them.)  That’s four hours in the car… per trip… by far the most difficult part of our journey!  (Actually one of those trips involved about seven hours in the car… as we spent 2 ½ on the side of the Interstate waiting on a tractor trailer accident to get cleaned out of the way.)  Their cousins have all come out to visit for a few days at a time.  One week John Paul, Amy, Karen, Charity and Sarah were with us… they’re great fun as they entertain our boys and help out around the house!  But, yes, that’s eight children at the house for those of you counting.  Our boys spent a week at their house a few weeks later (turnabout is fair play!)  Another week their cousins, Noah and Micah, were with us.  We all went out to a Huntsville Stars game… that never ended!  (We couldn’t stay up late enough to catch the fireworks after the game so we were a bit disappointed.  The Stars lost, too, by the way.)  This past week my sister’s girls, Reagan and Riley were with us.  We went down to Huntsville and spent a day at the Early Works Museum.  Great fun, but the talking tree sort of freaked little Reagan out.  Come to think of it… talking trees sort of freak me out, too.  Who thought that was a good idea for a children’s museum?  Haven’t they seen the Wizard of Oz?  This week we’re planning another quick trip to Nashville and the Grassmere Zoo with the girls.  I’m not sure why we’re going to the zoo… other than the fact its David’s birthday and that’s what he wanted to do???  I live in a zoo!

With all of this kicking back and relaxing with the children… I’m exhausted!  Anybody ready for school to start?

A Time of Refreshing

After preaching the good news to a group of folks who had gathered around Solomon’s Colonnade in Acts 3, the apostle Peter saw that they were convicted by the message. Seeing their desire to make things right, he told them, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…” He then goes on to tell them about the Lord’s return, but pause there for a moment. What better way to describe the Christian life than as a “time of refreshing”? Let’s be honest. Our situation before Christ was dire. There was no hope. We had sinned and fallen short. But the hope of the gospel is that in Christ, we are forgiven, redeemed, restored… refreshed! Everybody could use this kind of refreshment, couldn’t they?

One of the problems of the Christian life, however, is that we can easily forget just how refreshing it is supposed to be. We can still allow the pressures and burdens of this life to get us down. We can even allow the activity of the church and the various works with which we are involved to take up so much of our energy that we get down… or sometimes even burned out. How tragic this is! Of course this ‘burn out’ as the world calls it is caused because we have failed to stay plugged in to the ultimate power source… Jesus Christ. We have failed to connect with him in a way that continually sustains and continually refreshes.

I always try to make Summer time a time of refreshing for me. It is a time when I try to sit back after a busy Spring and reflect, dream and think about my own faith and the faith of those with whom I minister. Last week the family and I went up to Nashville for a conference at Lipscomb University and for a time of refreshing. What a blessing it was to hear great messages from some terrific preachers who challenged me and spurred me to greater spiritual growth. Next week, we are going to try to get away for a few days just for some fun and relaxation. We all need these periods of “down time.” If you haven’t sought any spiritual refreshing this Summer, let me challenge you to do so. With school starting so early these days, most of us only have a few weeks left! Here’s a few ideas…

• Read a book that will challenge you spiritually.
• Go to a conference or lecture series.
• Read through a Biblical book that you haven’t read in a while.
• Listen to a sermon from someone other than me on the internet (check below for some suggestions...)
• Get away for a few days of retreat and reflect on what God is doing in your life.
• Do something different to challenge yourself spiritually.

Summer will grind to a halt soon enough and we will all be back in the groove of work, school, and activity… take advantage of every opportunity to be refreshed by God’s Word!

Listen online to great messages from preachers I have listened to...

Russ Adcox
Maury Hills Church of Christ, Columbia, TN
http://www.mauryhills.com/podcasts.htm

Shon Smith
University Church of Christ, Tuscaloosa
http://www.universitycofc.org/podcasts.html

Jeff Walling
Providence Road Church of Christ, Charlotte, N.C.
http://www.prcoc.org/Default.asp?page=239

Mike Cope
Highland Church of Christ, Abilene, TX
http://www.highlandchurch.org/resource/podcasts

Rick Atchley
Richland Hills Church of Christ, Dallas, TX
http://www.rhchurch.org/index.cfm?pg=doc&id=99

Patrick Mead
Rochester Church of Christ, Rochester, MI
http://www.rochestercoc.org/cgi-bin/gx.cgi/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagename=FaithHighway/10000/4000/974RO/sermons

David Salisbury
Lomax Church of Christ, Hohenwald, TN
http://www.lomaxchurch.com/

The Center

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus” (cf. Heb. 12:1) which, when you think about it, is a remarkable statement. It is well known that Paul suffered from some sort of “thorn in the flesh” which impaired him in his ministry somewhat. Many scholars agree that it probably had something to do with his eyesight, which would make sense since he was literally blinded on his way to Damascus when Jesus appeared to him and convinced him to change course. Even though he was healed from the blindness, perhaps he suffered some sort of residual effects from it the rest of his life… perhaps as a reminder of his spiritual blindness prior to conversion? That’s why it is interesting that Paul would say, “Let us fix our EYES on Jesus.” Did Paul have a problem keeping his eyes focused? Did he have a problem seeing clearly? Do we?

As I said on Sunday, there are all sorts of things that distract us in our world and cause us to take our focus off of Jesus. There are all sorts of things which cause spiritual blindness. If you are like me, then you are easily distracted. I’m distracted by a beautiful sunset when I’m driving down the road or by my children when I’m trying to write a bulletin article or any number of things! It’s a natural reflex even… my eyes automatically go to what is new, colorful or interesting… regardless of what I am trying to focus on. Is that how it is with our spiritual lives? Did the Apostle Paul lock onto something here? Staying focused requires… well… focus! It requires effort. It requires a deliberate, willful and intentional effort to stay focused.

As we began our study of Mark’s gospel this past Sunday morning, I reminded us of Paul’s words in Hebrews 12:1. Our goal as we read through Mark together is to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” He is the center of our faith… he is the author and perfecter of our faith… and he ought to be at the center of EVERYTHING we do! Is he? Join in on the discussion of the gospel, the man Jesus Christ risen from the dead and how we can help each other stay focused and centered on Him!

Sharing the simple gospel...

Over the last few weeks I’ve been trying to explore some different thoughts along the theme of the “gospel.”  I’ve heard the term gospel all of my life as have most of us and I’m afraid that we just kind of take it for granted what we mean by it.  The word itself just means “good news” but what is this “good news”?  Some have tended to see it primarily as a list of principles to believe… tenets of faith, if you will.  Thus when Paul talks about the gospel in 1 Cor. 15 and says that “it is by this gospel you are saved” he would be meaning that by believing these certain articles of faith you are saved.  Others have viewed the gospel more in terms of obedience and see it as a list of commands or instructions that must be obeyed.  I certainly respect their emphasis on the fact that just believing isn’t enough, we must also act on those beliefs… I’m just now sure that gets at it either.  By that Paul would be saying that by obeying a certain list of commands we are saved… but wouldn’t that be salvation by works?

To me, the answer is so simple.  Paul is pretty clear in that 1 Cor. 15 passage and even clearer in 2 Tim. 2:8 when he says, “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.  This is my gospel.”  Paul didn’t understand “the gospel” to be a list of principles or commands!  He understood the “good news” to be Jesus Christ risen from the dead!  So the “gospel” is a man!  Jesus Christ!

What implications does this view have towards evangelism, then?  As we are commanded by Jesus himself to go out and preach this “gospel” (cf. Mark 16:15-ff) how does this change our attitudes, our mind-set and even our methodologies?  Any thoughts?  This is what I want to explore next Sunday.