Woodland
Hills Church of Christ
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Sunday, August 20, 2006 Volume 50, Issue 32 LIFE AFTER DEATH One of the greatest questions man could ever ask is: "If a man die, shall he live again?" (Job 14:14) Our Lord answered this question with an emphatic yes by saying; "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." (John 11:25) The Bible gives an abundance of testimony to the fact that there will be life after death. First, consider that Old Testament characters believed in a resurrection. Of those in faith’s hall of fame we are told; "these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuade of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they strangers and pilgrims on the earth...They desire a better country, that is, an heavenly." (Heb. 11:13,16) It was this confidence in life after death that allowed David to say of his dead son; "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." (2 Sam. 12:23) Second, consider the testimony of our Savior about life after death. It was our Lord who comforted Martha after Lazarus’s death by saying; "Thy brother shall rise again." (John 11:23) Later he would also comfort his apostles with the idea of a resurrection by saying, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am , there ye may be also" (John 14:3) Because of our Lord’s truthful testimony Paul could write; "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (2 Tim. 1:10) Third, consider the testimony of New Testament characters regarding the idea of a resurrection. The preaching of Peter on this idea provoked a resounding response when he said; "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses." (Acts 2:32) Later we are again reminded that, the God of our Fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree." (Acts. 5:29) Because the scriptures teaches there will be life after death we can proclaim; "Death is swallowed up in victory, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Cor. 15:54-55) See You in Bible Class Sunday,
JOIN US FOR A THE PARABLES OF JESUS Week #11 - August 23rd "The Rich Fool" (See The Bulletin Board For More Details)
TAFT AYERS R.U.S.H. We will be heading to Freed Hardeman for this weekend on September 15th. We are set to return on September 17th from this event. The price will be $35 and you need to sign up on my office door by the 8th of September. CHILI BOWL 6 I say this each year, but I cannot believe that this is the sixth year for this annual event. It is going to be a great weekend of fun, fellowship and football for everyone that can attend. We will be going on Friday night for a devotional, followed by a Jacob Evans show. On Saturday, there are classes, speakers, flag football, and of course....CHILI. We will also be worshipping at the Rosemark congregation on Sunday morning for the concluding service and the potluck meal afterwards. There is no cost at all for this weekend. Make sure that you sign up on my office door. There is no deadline for this event, it would just help us out very much if we could get an idea of how many we will be carrying. WHITE WATER RAFTING Our excursion to the Ocoee river is approaching yet again. We will be leaving for this trip on Saturday morning, the 30th of September. We will return on Sunday night, the 1st of October right before our PM services. This year we will be making the trip with Rosemark, North Jackson and Quail Ridge. Check the youth board for details about this trip. Much Love,
FAMILY NEWS OUR SICK/HOMEBOUND WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS SERVICE GROUP #3 Service Group #2, please turn in your assignments sheets from last week. OUR RECORD THANK YOU BABY GIRL CRIB SHOWER BRIDAL SHOWER BRIDAL SHOWER SYMPATHY ICE CREAM SUPPER
PHYSICAL BLESSINGS FROM GOD God has blessed us with many physical blessings. These blessings are so many in number that it would be impossible to count them. "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19) Following are some of God's physical blessings: God has blessed us with our families. "Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord. (Proverbs 19:14) Our wives are from God and our children are too. "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward." (Psalm 127:3) God has blessed us with prosperity and health. "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth." (3 John 2-3) If you have both your health and a sound mind you are a rich person. God has blessed us with food and clothing. "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" (Matthew 6:25-26) Remember that God has given you what you have. "And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." (Deuteronomy 8:18) God has blessed us with a beautiful world. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard." (Psalm 19:1-3) The sun, moon, stars, flowers, rivers and all these blessing of nature come from our Creator. "What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?"
(Psalm 116:12) Will you respond to God's blessings with love and
obedience? God has blessed us and in our love we should respond in
humble obedience to His will. (John 14:15)
EDIFICATION A WORD OF COMFORT Where I work, we serve the terminally ill. Additionally we follow the family in bereavement for at least thirteen months - sometimes it might be longer, but we follow each family member in bereavement for a minimum of thirteen months. Recently an elderly gentleman, who had suffered the death of his wife, asked where I thought she was. His friends and other family members kept telling him that she was walking around on streets of gold. He said he was tired of hearing that. He told me that personally he kept thinking about her being asleep in the ground and decaying away in loneliness, and the more he thought about that, the more depressed he became. So therefore, what did I think? "Where is she?" he asked. The more I thought about this encounter later, the more I thought this might be a good question for any of us to consider. In fact, the Apostle Paul teaches that the right response can bring about a lot of comfort. Therefore, I would like to mention a couple of verses that seem to have bearing for me. In Luke 16, if our Lord teaches nothing else, he makes a strong point that the dead have awareness. Certainly, the body may be in the ground, but the soul is aware. For instance, the rich man knew that his life was over because Abraham told him so: "Remember in your lifetime you had good things..." Also the rich man knew that the earth still existed - much as it does today when folks die. He asked for his brothers to be sent a warning about this place. Therefore it seems that the dead have awareness - both the good and the bad have awareness. Another place that seems to have bearing is 2 Cor. 5:6-8. Here Paul teaches that to be in the body is tantamount to being absent from Christ, and to be absent from the body is tantamount to being present with Christ. In other words, it seems that we are perhaps much closer to the spiritual world that we often realize. What words of comfort from divine inspiration! No wonder Paul tells us, "Comfort one another with these words." For the Elders, Dick Holt
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