“Follow Me”

Jesus Calls the First Apostles

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

In the Great Commission, Jesus told His apostles to go out and make disciples. A disciple is a follower of Jesus. Therefore, the Great Commission was about finding people who would follow Jesus.

This is also what Jesus did while on the earth – He made disciples. But while His apostles would call people to follow Jesus, He would tell them, “Follow Me.

There are a few examples in the gospels in which Jesus offered this invitation – “Follow Me.” In this article, we are going to look at these statements in the book of Matthew and make some applications.Continue Reading

What Are Our Priorities? (Sermon #45)

Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | RSS

What Are Our Priorities? (Sermon #45)

We’re taking a break this month from our regular episodes. During this break, we’ll be posting audio sermons instead. The sermon for today is titled, What Are Our Priorities?, and was preached on December 29, 2019 at the Eastside church of Christ in Morgantown, KY.

Read the article: What Are Our Priorities?

If you have a question you would like to hear addressed in a podcast episode, please fill out the form at the following link:

Questions for the Plain Bible Teaching Podcast

If you found this episode to be useful, please share it with others. Also, if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a rating on iTunes or Stitcher. This also helps others hear about the podcast. Thanks.

Resolutions from the Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery

Mutual forbearance

On June 28, 1804, Barton W. Stone (1772-1844) and five other men signed the Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery. This document was one of the most significant of the Restoration Movement. It expressed a desire to dissolve their recently-formed body (the Springfield Presbytery) as they recognized that all such denominational bodies and creeds were inherently divisive. The Last Will and Testament also encouraged the members of other such bodies to do the same and unite together simply upon the teachings of the Bible.

“We will, that this body die, be dissolved, and sink into union with the Body of Christ at large; for there is but one Body, and one Spirit, even as we are called in one hope of our calling.”

“We will, that the people henceforth take the Bible as the only sure guide to heaven; and as many as are offended with other books, which stand in competition with it, may cast them into the fire if they choose; for it is better to enter into life having one book, than having many to be cast into hell.”

“Finally, we will that all our sister bodies read their Bibles carefully, that they may see their fate there determined, and prepare for death before it is too late.”

Continue Reading

Thankful (Part 2): Thankful for Our Blessings

Thankful

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:4-5).

It is easy for us to focus on the troubles we face in life. We also tend to look at others who have more than us and wonder why we are not able to enjoy the riches or other benefits that they have. However, we usually only view this in one direction. There are certainly hardships and inequalities in life; but too often we tend to view ourselves in the role of the victim, forgetting how truly blessed we are. If we look at others who are “better off” than we are, there are many others who could look at us in the same way. We have much for which we should be thankful. In this article, we are going to focus on the temporal blessings of this life.Continue Reading

What the Bible Says about Sleep

Bed

Sleep is one of the few activities in which all humans participate. Our health, mood, mental ability, and performance of tasks depend on the quantity and quality of our sleep.

The Bible speaks of sleep – both literally and figuratively. In this article, we are going to consider four types of sleep discussed in the Scriptures.Continue Reading

Are We Putting Jesus First?

Man reading

[This article was written by Jeffrey Burnett.]

Maybe it is just the fact that I am getting older, but life truly seems to get busier every year. There is so much to do and so little time to get it all done and some things just have to be put off until a later time. Our lives are filled with legitimate concerns that we wrestle with each day often leaving little time for thinking of spiritual things, and that is precisely the problem.

Because every person has a different set of obligations it is difficult to place these concerns in any order of priority. God demands that we work with our hands in order to provide for ourselves and for the needs of others (1 Thess. 4:11-12; Eph. 4:28). Paul told Timothy that “if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8). Then there is the duty of parents raising children, not only being sure that they have clean clothes and good food, but bringing them up “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). This is a serious job that cannot be put off until tomorrow. Most of us, occasionally, need a break from work to simply relax or get some kind of recreation to just have fun. All of these things take up our time and somehow, we must find time to give to each item in keeping with its importance.Continue Reading

Social Issues (Part 12): Busyness

Social Issues

Busyness is familiar to all of us. It is the condition in which we have a great deal to do and not enough time to do it. This could be due to actual responsibilities, perceived duties, self-imposed obligations, and also time-wasting activities.

Those who argue in favor of busyness will often do so by contrasting it with laziness or idleness (even though these are not exact opposites). Those who view busyness as a virtue typically believe they are simply making the most of their time rather than wasting it.Continue Reading