DISCIPLE

  by Robert Gessner (1930-2014) The church is not ashamed to bear the reproach of Christ. "For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews" (1 Thess. 2:14).      It is not the name of a local church that distinguishes it as being a pattern of the New Testament. The church may have a very unique title such as "The New Testament Church of Jesus Christ" and yet it may not follow the pattern displayed in the New Testament. It is not even the creed formulated by a local church that gives it the distinction of being patterned after the New Testament. The creed, as far as it goes, may be very true to New Testament theology, and yet the church may be far from meeting in a New Testament manner. Obviously, no church would meet New Testament credentials if it did not teach the basic truths of the New Testament; however, it is not just ...

In Mark 7:37 the multitude praised the Lord Jesus with these words: "He hath done all things well," and they were right. But I wonder if we spend much time thinking about what those words mean. Our Lord never did anything half-heartedly or halfway. He is the master worker, the heavenly artisan. If His works were on display at a great Fair, they would be covered in blue ribbons!     What the multitude said admiringly that day, we can say adoringly and gratefully every day. We who are saved ought to praise and worship our blessed Lord for the perfections of all His work as the Son of Man. "All things well." Did we ever know the Lord to do things any other way? Of course not!    Did He ever leave anyone half-way healed? We remember the man in Mark 8:24 who received his sight gradually, but he was completely healed – the Lord knew what He was doing and He did it well. Did He ever give the blind vision in one eye, restore only part of the hearing to the deaf, o...

  The Nazis accused the Jews of all the world's troubles, and required them to wear this symbol. Most of Europe was silently complicit in the Holocaust.   Roman Catholic Spain, and other countries, persecuted the Jews, just for being Jews, during the so-called "Holy" Inquisition. They hunted them and marked them with the Sambenito Tunic. Many died in torture chambers or burned at the stake. The Church was the "right hand" of the government, and both were complicit and guilty. BUT today, Spain, the rest of Europe, and the UK and North America, continue manifesting foolish and criminal antisemitism. The news media stokes the fires of antisemitism, like someone who throws a rock and then hides his hand. Multitudes distrust the Jews just because they are Jews. Without having done anything, they are criticized, attacked and killed.     Israel is criticized by hypocrites who would defend their own countries and families and rights, but who deny Israel the right to do ...