OceanSide church of Christ




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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (75)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     What if we did not have the ability to ask questions?  We would greatly limit our ability to learn because our questions usually point to our weaknesses in understanding.

 

B.      Our questions and the answers we receive cause us to become more knowledgeable.

1.       Holes are patched.

2.       The crooked is made straight.

3.       The ruts are filled.

4.       The darkness is replaced with light.

5.       Confusion is replaced with understanding.

 

C.     This is one of the reasons that we have our Q&A Lesson each first Sunday of the month.  We want individuals to have a better understanding of God, His Word, and things involved in our Christian way of life.

 

I.                    QUESTION #1:  The Purpose of the Flood

 

A.     Stated:  What did the flood actually accomplish?  If God foreknew that evil would just reappear on the earth, what was the purpose of the flood?

 

B.      Answer:

1.       The importance of obedience to God

a.       What was it that brought the flood upon the earth?  It was man’s disobedience.

b.      Genesis 6:5

 

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

 

c.       Had man been obedient to God, the flood would not have happened.

2.       The punishment of sin

a.       From the beginning, God had warned man that sin has consequences (Gen. 2:17b; Ezek. 18:20).

 

…for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

b.      If sin is never punished, then men will not only gravitate toward sin, but will also involve themselves in worse sins.

3.       The manifestation of God’s grace

a.       Genesis 6:8

 

But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

 

b.      Noah was not like others who walked on the earth (Gen. 6:9).

 

These are the generations of Noah:  Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

 

c.       God made a distinction between the righteous and the unrighteous and showed favor toward the patriarch Noah. 

d.      Question:  Isn’t it good to know that God does not lump us all into one category.  He sees each of us individually and judges us as individuals.

4.       Giving man a second chance

a.       By saving Noah, God gave man a second chance.

b.      It is good to know that God extends second chances to humanity. 

5.       Warning man of final judgment

a.       In the flood, we see that God is serious when He issues warnings of impending judgment.

b.      He has warned us of judgment to come (Acts 17:31a).

 

Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness…

 

c.       Can we be assured this will happen?  Is God really serious about the final day of judgment.  The flood answers that question with a bold affirmative (Matt. 24:36-37).

 

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

 

II.                 QUESTION #2:  Worship Services

 

A.     Stated:  How do you explain to someone why there is a need to go to all church services?  They say you just get the same thing over and over again.

 

B.      Answer:

1.       Apparently, these individuals do not understand their obligation to God.

a.       All Christians have the responsibility to worship.

1)      We are to be here (Heb. 10:25).

2)      We are to pay homage to our God in the manner in which He has prescribed in His Word (John 4:23-24).

b.      God did not tell us we have the freedom to choose whether we will worship or not based upon our evaluation of the worship services.  God never said:  “If you do not like some element of worship, you do not have to attend.”

2.       These individuals usually have reference to the lessons they have heard.  They do not hold themselves and other aspects of worship to the same standard.

a.       Often their own prayers are exactly the same.  Do they say this:  “I am scheduled to pray today.  I pray almost the same prayer every time.  Therefore, since I pray the same prayer, I think I will just skip worship today”?

b.      We often lead the same songs over and over again.

c.       The Lord’s Supper and giving do not change.

3.       Their assessment is wrong.  There are many subjects that are discussed.

a.       Most preachers know that they are responsible for teaching the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27).

 

Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

 

b.      Those who make the assertion mentioned in the question either:

1)      Only come to one service a week.  Sometimes they come less than that.

2)      Or, they are completely dishonest.

c.       Examples:

1)      Sunday Bible Study:  Gideon

2)      Sunday 1st Service:  Q&A, three different questions

3)      Sunday 2nd Service:  Lord, Use All of Me.

4)      Tuesday:  King Hezekiah

5)      When we have Wednesday night services:  Revelation

6)      Different men extend the Wednesday night invitation and talk on different subjects.

 

4.       They have a responsibility to “take heed how ye hear” (Luke 8:18).

 

Take heed therefore how ye hear…

 

a.       Hearing is a matter of attitude.

b.      Hearing is a matter of maturity.

c.       Hearing is a matter of honesty.

d.      Hearing is a matter of spirituality.

e.       Hearing is a matter of desire.

 

III.              QUESTION #3:  Cesar Guitierrez

 

A.     Stated:  Can you provide some information about the preacher we will be supporting in Latin America in the month of June?

 

B.      Answer

a.       The preacher’s name is Cesar Gutierrez.

b.      He is married to Sarahi and has three children, Jonathan, Joel, and Areli.  He has one grandchild, Abigail.

 

No photo description available.            A group of people posing for a photo

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c.       Cesar was converted on August 10, 1986.

d.      He attended the School of Preaching in Panama from 1990-1991.  (NOTE:  He preached one year before attending the school of Preaching).

e.       In 1993, Cesar and his family planted the church where he is preaching in the city known as Tegulcigalpa, Honduras.  It is located in a community known as “South Israel.”

 

Honduras | History, Geography, & Culture | Britannica    Welcome To Tegucigalpa: Exploring The Honduran Capital • Expert Vagabond

 

1)      Honduras is a republic.  It has a population of about 9 million people.

2)      Tegulcigalpa is the capital of Honduras.

3)      It has a population of about 1.1 million people.

4)      There are five universities there.

5)      There are factories, hardware stores, restaurants, and banks.  Many of the people work in the field of construction.  It is also very agricultural in nature.

f.        When the church started in 1993, the only members were Cesar and his family.  They did not have an established place of worship so they worshipped in their home.

g.      Today:

1)      They have a building in which to worship.

2)      They have approximately 50 Christians there.  The attendance on Sunday mornings runs between 60 and 80 with children and visitors included.

3)      In the last two years they have had 21 baptisms and 11 restorations.

 

No description available.               No description available.

 

h.      Other works in which Cesar is involved:

1)      Mission work in other Latin American countries, especially as a translator.

 

No photo description available.            No photo description available.

2)      He translates various publications into Spanish for the Bear Valley School of Preaching in Denver, CO.          

i.        Cesar has lost his primary support recently.  The church provides some support, but not enough to live.  He is a sound and very energetic preacher of the gospel.  He is worthy of any support that we can give him.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     We have gone from Noah in the past to the local congregation to a work in Honduras, Central American in our questions today.

1.       Cesar’s work in Honduras is our work for the month of June.

 

January                                               February                                                         March                        

 

Ireland Maps & Facts - World Atlas                             Afflicted With The Poison Of Post-Truth: Duterte Government Should Back  Claims Of Red-Tagging With Credible Proof – The Organization for World Peace  

 

                        April                                                                           May

 

Image preview                                  Map showing location of Ukraine in the world.

 

2.       We need to be faithful in all of our service to the Lord.  We must remember that worship is meant specifically for God.  Our benefits are secondary.

3.       The flood reminds us of our pending judgment. 

a.       It will not be by water, but by fire (2 Pet. 3:10).

 

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

 

b.      This fact led to a question by Peter in 2 Peter 3:11.

 

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all manner of holy conversation and godliness?