Woodland
Hills Church of Christ
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Sunday, October 15, 2006 Volume 50, Issue 40 E PLURIBUS UNUM The Second Continental Congress that met on July 4, 1776, had as part of its “other business” the appointment of a committee to design a seal that would be the national emblem. Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams made an initial recommendation that Congress rejected. Finally, in 1782, the U.S.A. had its seal. You find it on the back of the $1 bill - - the spread eagle with its talons clutching 13 arrows and an olive branch with 13 leaves, and underneath a collection of 13 stars. The ribbon in its beck read: “E Pluribus Unum.” This motto was the only part of the original 1776 recommendation that made it to the final cut. It is Latin for, “Out of many, one.” The intended meaning is that our great country is a nation of individual states. The states have their own identity, distinctiveness, and government, yet they all blend together to form one nation. The Bible says much about “E pluribus unum.” Paul declared, “For by one Spirit are we baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink of one Spirit” (I Cor. 12:13). When men are Scripturally immersed into Christ, the one spirit does not assign them to different bodies; all are baptized into one body. Rich or poor, black or white, Jew or Gentile, man or woman, ALL were added to Christ’s body, the church (Col. 1:18). Christians are part of something greater than the U.S.A., because the church is a universal body. We are not members of a body made up of American only, as Christians we are one with members of the body of Christ in Russia... Nigeria...Slovakia... Zimbabwe...Brazil and every other place where Christians call on his name. God says, “Love the brotherhood” (I Pet. 2:17). The kinship and fellowship we can enjoy came at great cost–Jesus’ blood. Before He went to the cross, He prayed fervently for the unity of His followers (Jn. 17:13-26). In that prayer, He said that God’s Word is the truth that sanctifies us (17:17). The truth is what we need to mold us into one, train us to be alike, and correct us when we get out of line. We may have differences of opinion. But we all claim to be bought by the blood of the Lamb, and to follow the Bible. It was given to guide us to establish and maintain unity. Inspired of God (2 Tim. 3:16, 17), it gives us all we need to bring about the unity God desires (2 Pet. 1:3). If unbelievers see “Christians” arguing, bickering, unfairly judging and criticizing, they will not be impressed with “Christianity.” Love must run deep, and even when we try to help each other come to greater understanding of the Scriptures, that love must permeate everything we do and say (Jn. 13:33.34). God has made one body (Eph. 4:4)! Jesus prayed for it, He died for it. He lives for it–let’s humbly, prayerfully and obediently respond to the call for unity!
TAFT TALK
We would like to thank everyone who gave for our FHU scholarship fund last week. We were able to receive $4,083 for assistance towards our students there. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!!
Much Love,
FAMILY NEWS
MEMORIAL
TRICK OR TRUNK
FLU SHOT CLINIC
REMINDER
HOSPICE VOLUNTEER TRAINING Please call Jo Sehar, volunteer coordinator, at Crossroads Hospital, at 382-9292 for more information.
OUR RECORD
NEW BABY
5TH/6TH GRADE PROJECT
THANK YOU Dear Ones at Woodland
Hills,
Remember in Prayer
Out-of-Town:
WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS
EDIFICATION Study of Hebrews 10:19-39 We are very familiar with Hebrews 10:25-26 “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” These verses give the command that we should attend worship services when it is possible to do so. But I don’t think that this is the only lesson that the author intended to teach when he penned these verses. It is not wrong to use these verses to teach the command of attending worship services but there is another important lesson here that we may over look. In verses 19-23 we read that the author is talking to dedicated Christians and in verses 32 - 34 he reminds them of the great struggles they had endured for Christ. So in verse 26 when he talks about willful sin he is not only talking about missing worship services, but also that any sin we continue in willfully can be forgiven. The reason that he encourages us not to forsake the assembling of the saints is so we can encourage each other and be the proper example that we should be. There were some at that time that were missing worship services because they were becoming discourage with the persecution they had to face. You can see in these verses that the Christians were very dedicated to begin with. Then some started to miss worship services to the point that they were forsaking the assembly. When we start to miss worship services there is a consequence for our action. Do you think that you will grow closer to Christ or drift away? Brethren, we should not lightly sin and dismiss it as just being human or something that we really cannot control. In verses 29-31 we are warned of the consequences of willful sin, “Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.. And again, “The LORD will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” So you can see how Christians who drift away into willful sin will pay the greatest price that can be paid with the loss of their soul. For
the Elders
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