| MAY 10, 2020 WESTFIELD CHURCH OF CHRIST 1610 WESTFIELD LOOP, HOUSTON, TX 77073 ELDERS: James Fillyaw: 713-560-5104; Hubert Crowson: 281-732-9606; Jerry Loyd: 713-775-5377; Church Office: 281-821-8531 CHURCH SERVICES NOTICE: Church services have been put on hold for a period of time. We will still put out a bulletin and plan to send it to all members that have access to e-mail or other means. Stay in touch with the elders and other members as we struggle with you. May God bless this effort. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR MAY 2nd Steven Middleton; 3rd Marshall Briggs; 8th Charles Melvin; 24th Cotton Weaver; 27th Blake Henderson; HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FOR MAY 19th Thomas & Angie Lee; <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> READING THE NEW TESTAMENT: FIRST THESSALONIANS: Chapter 2:1-15: Paul’s Ministry: For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed---God is witness---nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority. But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men; (More Next Week! Stay Tuned!) Was Jesus Non-Judgmental? By Jason Trick, Herty Church of Christ Bulletin, Lufkin, Texas In John 8:1-11, Jesus told an adulteress, “Go, and sin no more.” This indeed is a powerful and precious passage; one that gives hope to every sinner. It has been often misunderstood and misused to suggest that Jesus was “non-judgmental,” that He only encouraged but never condemned the sinner. If Jesus did not require the penalty for sin, it is said, we should be “more tolerant” about adultery and on a wide range of other sins today. Let us consider these beautiful and blessed words of Jesus in their original context. It has been well observed that the enemies of our Lord were hoping that He would so explain the seventh commandment, which forbids adultery, as to encourage them to break the sixth commandment, which forbids murder. In other words, they were looking for an excuse to put Him to death. “But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him” (John 8:6-7). Why did He delay in answering them? Jesus, by ignoring them, was giving them plenty of rope with which to hang themselves. They thought they had Him trapped, and that He could not answer them without destroying Himself, and they pressed their argument harder and harder upon Him. In verse 7, we find what Jesus says, “So when they continued asking Him He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Jesus is pointing out that they had not come to Him out of concern for justice in this matter. This is obvious on the face of it because they brought only the woman and not the man. The Law of Moses plainly taught in Deuteronomy 22:22 that both the adulterer and adulteress were to be put to death. Where is the adulterer? If the police caught two men robbing a bank, arrested only one of them, and let the other go, scot free, would we not think that the police themselves were implicated some way in the crime? These men were not interested in one moment of justice, as is evident because they did not bring the man who committed adultery with this woman. Jesus called attention to this misuse of justice when He said, “He who is without sin among you,” that is, he that is not implicated in this crime. He who is truly seeking justice must first cast the first stone. The point of that reference is that Deuteronomy 17:7, the Law of Moses, required in a capital case the witnesses to the crime must cast the first stones. This is the exact meaning of the statement by Jesus, “He that is without sin among you, let him cast a stone at her first.” Jesus was not saying, as is some-times supposed, “Well, if there is anyone who has never committed a sin of any kind, then you are free to stone her.” Jesus was not advocating a tolerant, non-judgmental, broadminded attitude which some today will teach. Jesus was simply making application of Deut. 17:7, which they understood very well. They attempted to use God’ s Word hypocritically, twisting it to serve their own sinful aims, namely the rejection of the truth taught by Jesus and of the evidence that He was the Messiah. Finally, Jesus was alone with the woman and said, “Where are those accusers? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Jesus was teaching that He could not carry out the penalty of the Law, because He was not a personal witness of this crime. What more could He say that would be helpful to this woman? The men who brought her to Jesus were not interested in the woman. They were only interested in trapping the Lord. On the other hand, Jesus was interested in the woman. She had narrowly escaped with her life. Jesus says something to her to truly bless and help her, “Go, and sin no more.” “I am resolved to follow the Savior, faithful and true each day; Heed what He sayeth, do what He will-eth, He is the living way. I will hasten to Him, Hasten so glad and free, (Hasten glad and free,) Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.” <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> ATTENTION: Our next open-pantry day has been put on hold for a few months. Let’s not forget to restock the pantry. NOTICE: The program, ‘In Search of the Lord’s Way’, airs on Sunday mornings: On DISH Network, 7 to 7:30 a.m., local TV channel 57. On Uverse, 6:00 a.m., Sunday, ch. 1180. Check your provider if different. ATTENTION: The worship service at Village on the Park, on Sundays, has been put on hold for an unspecified time. It shall return soon. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ TEST YOUR BIBLE KNOWLEDGE! ‘Bible Riddles’ You Should Know (Easy From the O.T.): 1. Out of Bethlehem so small, shall come the Ruler, I cried; From everlasting to everlasting, with His flock He will abide. 2. Known for my great patience, I was tormented by Satan’s prod; My friends accused me of evil, but I remained faithful to God. 3.Touch not the ark, God had said, but it rocked from side to side; Who reached out his hand to steady it, and immediately died? Answers to Last Week’s ‘Bible Riddles’: 1. Elijah (1st Kings 18:1-22); 2. Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4;28-33); 3. Mordecai (Esther Chap. 2, 6, & 10). <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Our memory verse for MAY comes from the New Testament book of Romans. Only one verse. Easy and familiar. Repeat it over and over, ten times ten. You can do it. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). REPEAT IT AGAIN; THEN AGAIN; TEN TIMES TEN REMEMBER IN PRAYERS…. Norma Hicks; Sharon (Norma’s dtg.in-law); Violet Kendrick & family; Jean Williams; Kenneth Bone; ‘Ro’ Higgins (Roy Higgins son); Selena Baker; Louise Drake; Ramona Jackson; Ed Walker; Ken, Beverly, Kamryn Fillyaw; Ronnie Weaver; Suzie Stephens; ‘Cotton’ Weaver; Evalette Dunbar; Jim Endy; Amelia Williamson; Rebecca Stone; Faye Stephens; Billie Nelson; Henderson family; Ethel & Hubert Crowson; Charles Melvin; Don Blackwell; Mildred Edmonds; Maya Briggs; Jonathan O’Brien; Era Smith; SPECIAL PRAYERS TODAY FOR…. Bro. Jerry Loyd’s sister, Era Smith, has been struggling with medical issues and somewhat confined in the hospital, unable to visit her family. Remember her and her family in your prayers. Bro. Jonathan O’Brien had some tests this past week. Remember him, Stephanie and family in prayers. Bro. Jim Endy was admitted to the Houston N/W Hospital for observation. Remember him and Sande and Holly in your prayers as they face this. Sis. Evalette Dunbar having some tests. Remember her in your prayers. Bro. Hubert & Sis. Ethel doing better. Remember them in your prayers. Baby Maya Briggs doing better. Remember her and family in your prayers. Sis. Mildred Edmonds is fighting cancer. Remember her in your prayers. Sis. Rebecca (Becky) Stone needs our prayers. Sis. Billie Nelson needs our prayers. Remember Ken, Beverly, and Kamryn Fillyaw in your prayers. Remember Bro. Cotton Weaver in your prayers. Sis Amelia Williamson doing better. Remember her in prayers. Sis. Jean Williams doing better. Remember her in prayers. Bro. Kenneth Bone doing well and still needs our prayers. Ronnie Weaver still needs our prayers. Ed Walker still needs our prayers. Bro. Shawn Henderson & family needs our prayers as they deal with illnesses. “. . . The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16b). |