Sound Words (Page 11)
Weekly Bulletin Articles
SOUND WORDS, APRIL 16, 2023
A NICE HOUSE AND A BIG YARD Very early in my life I inherited a nice house. I have always felt very fortunate and sometimes guilty with my good fortune. It has served me well through the years, and I have enjoyed the many advantages and amenities it has offered. I always wanted a big yard – one that I could explore often and raise my children in so they could explore it too. At first, my yard was small,…
SOUND WORDS, APRIL 9, 2023
THE ROLES REVERSED Years ago, a military friend of mine got the assignment to be one of a handful of soldiers who were to be at the scene when the president of the United States came to visit the military base where he was stationed. He was honored, but also had to be nervous when given the details of his assignment. The men selected for this moment were there to protect the president. When the president arrived, my friend would…
SEASONS OF LIFE Life cannot be defined. It is, and that’s all there is to it. Oh, I’m aware that the dictionary gives us a definition of life. But listen to it: “The interval of time between birth and death.” How vague. Lots of people have said lots of things about life. Shakespeare said of it, “The web of our life is a mangled yarn.” John Ruskin said, “There is no wealth but life.” And Henry Wadsworth Longfellow…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 26, 2023
THE ANTI-GOSPEL The gospel is rooted in the fact that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23). The wages of sin are death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23). Mankind, left to himself, is lost, without hope, and unforgiven. There is no grace without Christ, and no path to God without the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). The gospel message is that we can…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 19, 2023
FIRST PRIDE AND THEN THE FALL A story is told of a plane that suffered engine failing and was quickly falling to the earth. The plane was carrying four passengers that were all running out of time. An even bigger problem was presented when it was realized that there were only three parachutes on board the plane. One passenger was the pilot of the plane who said to the others, “I must survive in order to report what happened to…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 12, 2O23
AN OPEN LETTER FROM NADAB AND ABIHU Brethren, it is with the utmost humility that we inform you of a change of worship practices in your normal sacrificing. Be assured that we are bringing about this change only after much prayer and study. We have recently concluded an in-depth re-study of the Law as delivered by our brother Moses. After this re-study of the matter and following a period of discernment, we have decided to bring about a change in…
SOUND WORDS, MARCH 5, 2023
THE UNTHINKABLE COMMANDMENT With every advancing sentence in Matthew 5 (v.21), Jesus has taken an ever larger bite out of the human ego. Every new contrast between the popular Pharisaic perversions and the real demand of kingdom righteousness has served to heighten the moral challenge. What the Lord at last commands in the sixth and last of these antitheses must have stunned His audience (Matthew 5:43-48). He has spoken the inconceivable when He said, “But I say to you, love your…
SOUND WORDS, FEB 26, 2023
A BIG FAMILY If you are over the age of thirty, when you hear the words “Family matters” a four-word question probably comes to mind… “Did I do that?” The catchphrase made famous by the character Steve Urkel on the American sitcom that aired in the ‘90’s called Family Matters. It is no secret that family is very important, family does matter, and there are a number of benefits that come from having a close-knit family. I love my family,…