The Lower Lights - May 2004

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THE

LOWER

LIGHTS

Alan Jones, Editor

(734) 942-7956

"Brightly beams our Father's mercy

From the lighthouse evermore;

But to us He gives the keeping

Of the light along the shore."

Published monthly by the church of Christ, 35900 Palmer Road, P.O. Box 86-233, Westland, MI 48186

Volume 3 May 2004 No11

TIME FOR A NEW START

Snow and 80 degrees in the same week – Spring has come to Michigan, bringing with it its ever changing weather. It is a reminder that God is continuing to keep His promise to Noah, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and day and night shall not cease.” (Gen 8:22) After the dead of Winter, God is once again renewing His Creation. Trees, left bare for months, are now clothed with new green leaves. Many of them are in bloom, adding their brilliant colors to the bright colors of the flowers who have come to life around them. The geese honk and signal their return from the South and the return of a climate suitable for all of God’s creatures to live, to reproduce, and to raise their young. Observing the renewal of Creation, we experience our own sense of renewal. We make a new start. Housewives do Spring-cleaning and find new arrangements for the furniture while their husbands busy themselves with home improve-ment projects. Professional farmers and backyard gardeners plant their seeds with expectation of greater yields than the last growing season. The worst of last year’s baseball teams (yes, even the Tigers) come out of Spring training with the same anticipation of winning as last year’s World Champs. Perhaps this is a good time to consider the greatest renewal of all- spiritual renewal- a renewal that is always in season. If we were to paint a Nature scene to reflect the spiritual con-dition of most men, we would paint a Winter scene. We would paint plants smitten black by		Jack Frost to represent what Sin has done to men’s souls. We would outline barren trees against the background of a low, gray sky to show men’s lack of righteousness. And, we would brush on plenty of snow and ice to symbolize the cold, hardened, unfeeling hearts of men that feel no guilt or shame because of their sin. Unfortunately, most men are dead (spiri-tually) while they are alive (physically) (1 Tim 5:6). Even those now Christians were once “dead in trespasses” (Eph 2:1). But thanks be to God for His love, mercy, and grace. Because He gave His Son Jesus to die for man’s sins, man can be made alive (Eph 2:4-5). However, this new life is only for those who are willing to make a new spiritual start in life- for those who are willing to become “new creatures” (2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15). Simply put, to become spiritually alive, you have to become a different person than you used to be. You must lay aside the “old” man who practiced sin and put on the “new” man who practices righteousness, with the end goal of becoming like Jesus (Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:9-10). Your spiritual transformation begins when you renew your mind and it results in a total trans-formation of your life- a life where your very body is presented as a living, holy sacrifice to God (Rom 12:1-2). This transformation is as dramatic as the change from Winter to Spring and is even more amazing! (See the back page to learn how you can begin a new spiritual life)

BEGINNING NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
Romans 6 explains how we enter into a relationship with Christ and begin life anew with Him. Paul wrote that man is “baptized into Christ” or into a relationship with Him (vs. 3). He further explains this in the following verses, teaching that baptism is done in the likeness of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (vs. 4-11). As Jesus was crucified and buried, one who has been baptized has crucified his old man of sin and buried him. As Jesus was raised from physical death, one who has been raised from the water of baptism has been raised from spiritual death- raised to walk in “newness of life”, to live a life of righteousness, a life that imitates Jesus. As March 20 marks the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring, so baptism marks the end of spiritual death and the beginning of spiritual life. If we were to paint a scene of those who are “in Christ”, who are “new creatures”, who have been raised to life from their burial in the		water of baptism, we would paint a Spring scene. We would paint them as a plants lush with deep green leaves to represent the life of their souls. We would picture them as trees filled with blos-soms to show their fruitfulness in righteousness. And, we would brush on abundant pools of water all around them to show that their once cold hearts have melted. If God were to paint a picture of your spiritual condition, would He paint a scene of Winter or Spring? Have you been baptized into Christ? Are you a new creature? Are you spiritually dead or alive? Perhaps you are in the middle of many Spring projects. You are cleaning your house, making repairs and improvements; you are rearranging your furniture and pictures; you are rolling your lawn, planting grass seed and fertilizing; you are planting your flower and vegetable gardens- but have you looked within and thought about making a new spiritual start?

Won’t you lay aside your sweepers, mops, mowers, rakes, hoes, rototillers, hammers, saws, and paint brushes and give some time to your soul? Here are a few spiritual projects to consider: 1) Repair your soul by obtaining God’s forgiveness. 2) Clean up your life; get rid of sin. 3) Rearrange your priorities, putting spiritual, eternal concerns before those of this physical, temporal life. 4) Improve your self by becoming more like Jesus. 5) Plant God’s Word in your heart and look for the harvest of righteousness now and for heaven hereafter. If we can help you in your spiritual renewal, please call, write, or e-mail.

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