OceanSide church of Christ

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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (64)*

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     Recently I came across a website entitled:  “Would You Rather…?”  The site presents questions that have two options from which you choose only one.

1.       Would you rather go into the past to speak to your ancestors or would you rather go into the future to meet your great, great grandchildren?

2.       Would you rather win the lottery or live twice as long?

3.       Would you rather be able to talk to the animals or speak all foreign languages?

4.       Would you rather grow your own food or sew your own clothes?

5.       Would you rather have an unlimited gift certificate to your favorite restaurant or to your favorite clothing store?

 

B.      Some “would you rather” questions are easily answered.  Others take time.

 

C.     All of your questions for our Questions & Answers Sunday take a little time to research and answer.  We hope that you will continue to put your questions in the Q&A box in the foyer.

 

D.     In this lesson, let’s look at three questions you have asked.

 

I.                    QUESTION #1:  Nathanael and Nazareth

 

A.     Stated:  Why did Nathanael say:  “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

 

B.      Answer:

1.       This question from Nathanael is in response to a statement made by his brother Philip (John 1:45-46).

 

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and in the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.  And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?  Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

 

2.       Nazareth was a town located in Galilee, 14 miles west of the Sea of Galilee on the southern ridges of Lebanon.

 

How Can the Messiah Come from Galilee? | Messianic Bible

 

3.       Because of this statement from the lips of Nathanael, Nazareth has been often referred to as “the despised town of Nazareth.”

4.       This was the town in which Jesus was reared by Joseph and Mary (Luke 2:51).

 

And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them…And Jesus increased in wisdom, and stature, and in favour with God and man.

 

5.       After Jesus grew up and entered into His ministry, this town rejected Him.  In fact, they attempted to cast Him off the brow of the hill upon which the city was built (Luke 4:29).

6.       None of this, however answers the question that was asked.  Again, the question was:  “Why did Nathanael say:  Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?”

7.       Let’s look at several answers:

a.       It was not a very important town in the history of Israel.  It is not mentioned one time in the Old Testament.  The first mention of it is in Matthew 2:23.

b.      No famous person had ever come forth from this city in times past.  Why would the Messiah come from this city?

c.       Some believe it was said because the city had a strong Gentile influence within it.  Most of the individuals who lived there were less cultivated, had a rude dialect, and were not very religious and were not of the best moral character.

d.      One writer believed that Nathanael’s mind was not so much on Nazareth as it was on Bethlehem.  This was the city that was supposed to bring forth the Christ (Micah 5:2).  So, when Nathanael was told about Jesus of Nazareth, he asked:  “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?”  In other words, this is not the city from which “the good thing” was supposed to come.

8.       This is interesting because the books of Mathew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts honor the town by attaching Jesus’ name with it often.

a.       One time Jesus is called “the prophet of Nazareth” (Matt. 21:11).

b.      One time He is referred to by the words “Jesus Christ of Nazareth
 (Acts 4:10).

c.       And, eighteen times Jesus is simply called “Jesus of Nazareth” (Matt. 26:71; Mark 1:24; 10:47; 14:67; 16:6; Luke 4:34; 18:37; 24:19; John 1:45; 18:5, 7; 19:19; Acts 2:22; 3:6; 6:14; 10:38; 22:8; 26:9).

 

II.                 QUESTION #2 – Mental Health Issues

 

A.     Stated:  Why have mental health issues been such a controversial topic in the church until recently?

 

B.      Answer:

1.       Christians are supposed to be a very understanding, supportive, encouraging, compassionate, and supportive group of people.

a.       Romans 12:15

 

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

 

b.      I Corinthians 12:25-26

 

That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

 

2.       However, as the church, we have not always responded this way when it comes to mental illnesses.  There are several reasons:

a.       Mental illnesses have not always been understood very well.

1)      Those with mental illnesses were called “lunatics” because it was thought their condition was somehow influence by the moon.

2)      Those with mental illnesses were called “crazy” and were cast out of sight into mental institutions.

3)      Crazy procedures were performed on those with mental illnesses:  lobotomies, shock treatments, extremely heavy medication, or just locking these individuals in padded rooms.

b.      There used to be a lot of shame to be a person who had a mental illness.  Families often dealt with their mentally ill loved one without ever letting others know what was going on in their lives.

c.       We used to fear those who were mentally ill.  Some people still do.  If they are impacted with severe problems like manic depression and schizophrenia, they do not really know how to interact with such people.

d.      We often took a false approach from a theology approach.  Those with mental illnesses were often told that if they would just rid the sin from their lives, they could be healed of their mental illnesses.

3.       Over the last 50 years, we have come a long way in addressing mental illnesses.

a.       We have learned some of the causes of mental illness.  We have learned that these individuals are not crazy.  These individuals are sick.  The chemical processes that take place in our body that should keep give us normal and equal are messed up. 

b.      We have found medications that can correct many of the problems those with mental illnesses are experiencing.

c.       We have discovered various forms of therapy that can deal with mental illness as well.

d.      With the development of social media and individual sharing their experiences, we are finding out that these problems are not confined to one or two families.  Almost everyone knows of someone who is dealing with some type of mental health issue:  addictions, anger, behavior, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, sexual problems, etc.  

4.       The church needs to continue to talk about this issue.  Too, we need to do all in our power to practice the Christian faith in this area.  In Matthew 25:36, Jesus said:  “…I was sick, and ye visited me…”  The word “visit” does not mean to have a casual stay of 15 or 20 minutes with someone.  It involves inspecting for needs and doing all we can to assist in taking care of those needs.  Our mentally ill brothers and sisters in Christ need us.

 

III.              QUESTION #3 – The Hebrew Israelites

 

A.     Stated:  Who are the Hebrew Israelites?

 

B.      Answer:

1.       Two initial points:

a.       Questions like this are difficult to answer because racial tensions in the United States run very high.  Any mention of race makes people angry and puts individuals on the defense.

b.      We must discuss these groups in order to have an awareness about them.  If they teach things contrary to Scripture, we must stand in opposition to them regardless of their race or culture.

2.       The names associated with this movement:

a.       Black Hebrew Israelites

b.      African Hebrew Israelites

c.       Black Jews

d.      Black Israelites

e.       Hebrew Israelites

3.       Their founders:

a.       Frank Cherry, the Church of the Living God, the Pillar Ground of Truth for All Nations, 1886

b.      William Saunders Crowdy, Church of God and Saints of Christ, 1896

4.       Why were they founded?  They were reactions to the racial tensions, racial discrimination, and racial divide found in the nation at the time.

5.       They are mixture of a lot of groups and theories:  Holiness/Pentecostals, the British Anglo-Israelite movement, Freemasonry, Mind Power, Theosophy, Judaism, the occult, and African American Christianity’s deep association with the Hebrews of the Old Testament according to Jacob S. Dorman as quoted in a May 17, 2017 article entitled: “9 Things You Should know about Black Hebrew Israelites” at www.thegospelcoalition.org). 

6.       Basic Concept:  Black Hebrew Israelites are the descendants of a lost tribe of Israel.  Thus, God’s acceptance is based on race instead of the precious blood of Christ. 

a.       They hate the Jews and proclaim they are not the people of God of the Old Covenant.

b.      They vehemently hate those who are white as well.

c.       NOTE:  Over 100 of the groups associated with this movement are known as black separatist hate groups.

7.       Some broad beliefs that oppose Scripture.

a.       The Jews were not the chosen people of God under the Old Covenant (See Rom. 9:4).

 

Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises.

 

b.      Race determines one’s acceptance with God (See Gal. 3:26-29).

 

For ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female:  for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

 

c.       Jesus was a human being and not deity (See John 1:1).

                                                       

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 

d.      Their platform teaches that some people are to be hated, despised, and even killed based on their race.  God does not teach hatred.  He teaches us to love others and to seek to save them through the blood of Jesus Christ. 

1)      God loves the world (John 3:16).

2)      Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the world (I John 2:2).

3)      The gospel is to be taken to the entire world (Mark 16:15).

4)      God longs for all men to come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved (I Tim. 2:4).

5)      God does not seek to divide men according to any ethnic or racial lines.  He yearns to unite all in the precious church of Christ (Eph. 2:14-16).

 

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     What have we learned in this series of questions?

1.       Jesus put a city on the map.

2.       The church needs to respond in a positive way to the needs of those who are struggling with mental illnesses.

3.       There are many false groups in the world who seek to divide us by race, creed, and political agendas.  Jesus came, however, to unite all men in the precious body of Christ for which He shed His precious blood.

 

B.      We call all men to become members of that body today.  The steps are identical to those taken by sinners in the first century (Acts 2:37, 38, 41, 47).