THE ENON ENDEAVOR
A WEEKLY PUBLICATION OF THE ENON CHURCH OF CHRIST
SCHEDULE OF SERVICES:  SUNDAY 9:45 A.M. Bible Class 10:45 A.M. Worship
5:30 P.M. Singing Class  6:00 P.M. Worship WEDNESDAY Bible Class 7:00 P.M.
LADIES BIBLE CLASS:  Second Monday of Each Month
TELEVISION SHOW:  SPEAKING WHERE THE BIBLE SPEAKS Graceba Images Cable 6
FRIDAY 9:00 A.M. & SUNDAY 1:00 P.M. MONDAY 7:00 P.M.
 

VOLUME XXII   January 24, 1999         Number 3

SICK LIST:  Ruby Merriman, Shirley Ingram's sister, is recovering from double knee-replacement surgery.  Callie Kilgore continues to recover at home from an automobile accident.  Sister Mary Noblitt was out Wednesday but able to be with us Sunday.  Prayers have been requested on behalf of Grace Straight, sister Noblitt's sister.  Norma Deal is down with the flu and we have missed her as well as Doran.  Melissa Sorrell was hospitalized and released.  Jesse Brown injured his back, but was able to be with us Sunday morning,  we continue to remember his brother and sister-in-law.  We continue to remember Mr. and Mrs. Epperson, Jeff's mom and dad, in their recoveries.  We also continue to remember Tammy Moss.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT: The family of Wilburn "Shine" Ingram sent their appreciation to the church here for the acts of kindness and the food and etc. through EThell Kilgore.  A card of thanks from Johnnie B. Mendheim for the prayers and cards and etc. during her recent illness is displayed on the bulletin board.

SPECIAL TEACHER:  We are scheduled to have Wade Warren with us Wednesday January 27, Wednesday February 3, and Wednesday February 10 to teach the adult Bible class.  Great to have him with us!

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?  Hear the Gospel (Romans 10:17), Believe the Gospel (Hebrews 11:6), Repent of Sins (Acts 2:38), Confess Faith in Christ (Acts 8:37), be baptized (Acts 22:16), and remain faithful, even to the point of death (Revelation 2:10).  May we assist you in becoming a faithful Christian?

OUR REDEEMER

There are many songs lauding the virtues of our Redeemer, and rightly so, for there has never risen a greater one to deliver and redeem any people at any time in worse shape than ourselves!  To think that we were totally destitute, no hope, no help, no way out -- and then, when we were yet sinners, in due time Christ died for us!  This illuminates the meaning of Amazing Grace, for all that we have from the Redeemer we have by grace, having all sinned and repeatedly come short of the glory of God.  Let us notice a few points about our Redeemer.

I. OUR REDEEMER LIVES.  With Job we say, "For I know that my redeemer liveth..." (Job 19:25).  For Job this Redeemer lived before his descent to the earth, for the passage continues, "...and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth."  We see in Him, though tempted and in the midst of great tribulation, great faith in the redeeming power of the God he loved and faithfully served.  In our case we need to emulate this faith in our own hearts!  We can confidently know that our Redeemer lived, having ample evidence of His earthly existence.  We can further have great confidence in the fact of His resurrection and ascension into heaven, having been raised by the power of God unto eternal life.  As Job confidently expected Him to come the first time at the beginning of the "latter days" (compare "last days" of Hebrews 1:1-2), so we confidently expect Him to "come in His glory, and all the holy angels with him...[and] sit upon the throne of his glory" (Matthew 25:31).  He cannot come in the future if He does not live today, and therefore, we know that our Redeemer lives!

II. OUR REDEEMER IS MIGHTY.  According to Websters Dictionary, to redeem means 'to purchase back; to regain, as mortgaged property, by paying principal interest and costs of mortgage; ...to ransom, to deliver from sin...'  This being the general idea involved in Jesus as our Redeemer, unless He is powerful enough to raise the needed payment price and faithfully deliver it He would not be much of a Redeemer.  With Solomon discussing the redeemer of the righteous of his day, however, we confidently affirm that He is powerful enough to redeem us:  "For their redeemer is mighty" (Proverbs 23:11).  Who else has been powerful enough to confound the religious leaders of His day as our Redeemer did?  Who else has been powerful enough to live "without sin" and with no guile in His mouth?  Who else has been tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin?  Who else has been raised from the dead to die no more?  Who else broke the bonds of sin and death, ascended Hades and entered heaven and sat down on the right hand of God?  Who else ever liveth to make intercession for us?  Our Redeemer is mighty!

III. OUR REDEEMER IS ETERNAL.  It is a good thing to have a Redeemer, but by its very nature, our Redeemer must be eternal in order for the redemption afforded by Him to be of eternal value to us.  If our Redeemer were less than eternal, what assurance would we have that with His death our redemption would not die also?  By the grace of God we have the assurance that our Redeemer and His redemption is eternal, everlasting, never-ending:  "Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of Hosts, I am the first, and I am the last, and beside me there is no God" (Isaiah 44:6).  As He told the beloved disciple on Patmos, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last" (Revelation 1:11).  There has never been a time in antiquity wherein our Redeemer did not exist:  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1).  There will never be a time in the future when our Redeemer shall cease to exist, He being the first and the last.  Our Redeemer is eternal!

IV. OUR REDEEMER IS STRONG ENOUGH TO DO ALL THAT HE HAS PROMISED TO DO.  Since all have sinned (Romans 3:23), and there is none righteous (Romans 3:10), and since the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), the work of our Redeemer is great indeed.  He must be able to do that work, or, as Redeemer He will fail.  We take great comfort in the words of Jeremiah:  "Their redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name; he shall thoroughly plead their cause..." (Jeremiah 50:34).  It is comforting to know that as I bow and pray to the Father in Heaven my Redeemer is making intercession on my behalf.  I am thankful that He is strong enough to do for me what must be done!  We take great encouragement from the events of Matthew 4, wherein our Redeemer was tempted by the supreme tempter, the devil himself, and yet despite the weakened condition (physically) of the Redeemer, and the fact that He was subject to the same passions as all of us, He was strong enough to do what was His to do!  As He hung on the Old Rugged Cross, ridiculed and taunted by the wicked, He was strong enough to remember that "for this end I came", and He therefore successfully endured and did the work He came to do.  He is strong enough!

V. OUR REDEEMER CREATED US AND THEREFORE UNDERSTANDS ALL ABOUT US.  "All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:3).  Since He was in on the design and creation of man, He knows all about our difficulties.  Isaiah spoke of "...thy redeemer...he that formed thee from the womb" (Isaiah 44:24).  Who better could understand our needs and know our weakness?  Who better could offer us the help we need to make it to the end of the road?  He loves us and longs to save us (cf., Luke 19:10), and so longing He is able to help us make it.

VI. HE IS A PERSONAL REDEEMER.  Jesus saves us not as a nation, but as individuals.  He is a personal savior.  The redemption He brings is personal in nature, saving individuals from individual punishment eternally.  David called Him "my redeemer" in Psalm 19:14.  Dad cannot be saved for mom, and the parents cannot be saved for the children.  Each man must "walk the lonesome valley" alone.  All will stand before the Great Judge of all mankind and answer for the things done in the body (cf., II Corinthians 5:10, Romans 14:12).  Every man will hear Him say either "well done" or "depart..."  The verdict will be based on our earthly response to His revealed scheme of redemption, the teaching of the New Testament.  Have you come to Him through obedience to His Word for the redemption He offers?

ACQUIRING THE REDEMPTION:  To receive the benefits of His sacrifice one must hear and believe His testimony (Mark 16:16); repent of all sin (Acts 2:38); confess Him before men (Matthew 10:32); be baptized for the washing away of sins (Acts 22:16,) and be faithful in all things even to the point of death (Revelation 2:10).  Have you come to the Redeemer for eternal salvation? Tim Smith  1272 Enon Rd.  Webb, AL 36376

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