Chimpanzees Laugh At Each Other's Tail

Neal Pollard

Emmanuel P. Chaaca collected several Swahili proverbs from the peoples of northern Tanzania and southwestern Kenya.  One of them that struck me was, "Nyani alimcheka nyani mwenzake."  Roughly translated, it means, "Chimpanzees laugh at each other's tail."  The idea is that it is easy to look for and criticize the mistakes of others while forgetting or ignoring our own mistakes.  This is yet another example of how we may have different ways to express a truth to accommodate our culture, but human behavior is the same everywhere.  Of course, the chimpanzee cannot see his own tail, but that of his neighbor is in plain sight.

Human beings, more enlightened, sophisticated and intelligent than the animals and made in the image of God, still fall prey to the same sort of thing.  We can see what terrible parental choices our friends make.  We cringe at the wastefulness or poor judgment of those around us.  We shake our heads at the weaknesses or sin problems we perceive in others.  These things are so plain and simple to see, from our perspective.  

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, "Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye" (Matt. 7:1-5).  Jesus is saying that we should spend far more time examining the areas of our own lives than taking the magnifying glass to others'.  I have never seen a chimpanzee without a tail or a person without problems and flaws.  May this encourage us not to monkey around about these things!

Treasure Hunt

 

“One of the better known treasure hunts in modern times is the quest to find the rumored wealth known as the "Beale treasure."  The hunt began when an eccentric man, who left the East for the gold and silver mines of the West, returned home, supposedly hid a vast amount of wealth, then disappeared forever.  All he left behind were several messages written in a mysterious code.  One of those messages when deciphered told of the treasure and its approximate location.  The other documents, then, would narrow down the site.  Since the Beale documents first came to light, thousands of man-hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent attempting to break the codes and find the legendary treasure” (Today in the Word, MBI, December, 1989, p. 14).

People have always been willing to put tons of time, effort, and resources to find treasure.  The Beale treasure was no different.  In Scripture there also a treasure spoken about.  Matthew 13:44 says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

There is no treasure on this earth that is as great as the kingdom of heaven.  People have always given up so much to obtain physical treasures.  So what are we willing to give up to obtain this great spiritual treasure?

The Wide and Narrow Roads

 

This particular subject has been on my mind frequently as of late.  This is partly due to a conversation I’ve been having with a friend, and partly due to the great lesson delivered this past Sunday night.  Notice the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Certainly there is much that could be said about these 2 verses, but I want to emphasize the phrases “there are many who enter through it [gate of destruction],” and “there are few who find it [gate of life].”

According to many sources, 2.2 billion people (about 1/3 of the population) are “Christians.”  All sects of Christianity believe that a person needs to “believe in Jesus” to be saved (at least in part), but many denominations claim that this is all that is needed for salvation.  Several of these same denominations believe that a person cannot be lost once they have been saved, no matter what they do from then on.

Matthew 7:13-14 is a very clear indicator that these denominations are mistaken.  Think about it.  If all a person needs to do to be saved is to “believe in Jesus,” then potentially 2.2 billion people are saved and will go to heaven.  This means 2.2 billion will enter heaven every 60-80 years (the span of a generation).  Certainly these numbers have been this way for hundreds of years and will probably continue until the end of time.  But does this fit Jesus words, “there are few who find it”?  Not at all.

We simply cannot follow the popular mold of the denominations to find salvation.  Let’s look to the Bible for the answer.  Scripture says that one is saved by…

1. Hearing the gospel of Christ (John 6:45; James 1:18, 21).
2. Believing that Jesus is God’s Son (Romans 10:17; John 8:24).
3. Repenting of past sins (Luke 13:3; 2 Peter 3:9).
4. Confessing that Jesus is the Lord (Romans 10:9-10).
5. Being baptized for the purpose of having sins forgiven at that very moment (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27; Romans 6:3-4).
6. Remaining faithful until death (Revelation 2:10) – because one can fall away from God and lose salvation (Galatians 5:4; 2 Peter 2:20-21; Hebrews 3:12; 8:4-8).

Something to keep in mind is that all verses of Scripture must fit together.  We cannot take one verse that says we are saved by faith (Ephesians 2:8) and ignore the many others that say salvation comes through repentance (Luke 13:3), confession (Romans 10:9-10), and baptism (1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6:3-4).  All have to fit together!  In fact, many Scriptures list several at the same time (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 8:12-13; 18:8).  Every single item mentioned in the list above plays a part in obtaining and keeping salvation.  Baptism is the final act, after the others have been done, to bring a person from a lost condition to a saved condition (Acts 2:37-41). 

Does your congregation or denomination teach and follow these things?  If not, then the words of Jesus indicate that you are traveling down the wrong path with the “many” (Matthew 7:13).  We must make sure we are on the right path (Matthew 7:14).  Heaven is just too good to miss, and hell is too terrible to attend.  They only way make sure we are on the right path is to follow all the turns on God’s road map, the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3).  

P-O-W-E-R-F-U-L SINGING

Neal Pollard

P-articipate.  Don’t just sit there, sing!  Omitting a command is as wrong as adding to one.  Remember that being able to bring praise to the throne of God is a high honor and deserves our full participation.

O-pen your mind.  Think about what you are saying in song.  Avoid “remote control” singing.  May we never, in this “exercise,” be using our lips with hearts far from God.

W-orship.  Realize that the deliberate exercise of worship in song is as much an activity of worship as prayer, preaching, or observing the Lord’s Supper.  The Hebrews’ writer draws on the imagery of Old Testament worship, offering sacrifices, to show how singing is worship.  He exhorts, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise ot God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:15).   

E-xpect results.  Worshipping God in song softens our spirits, sobers our mind, and fills our heart.  Singing teaches, reminds, admonishes, challenges, and comforts us.  It can produce peace, joy, hope, love, introspection, warning, and brotherly affection.  If we will invest, we will be rewarded.

R-aise your voice.  This is a lesson we often try to stress with our boys.  Mumbling, “lipping,” or whispering the words to songs will not teach or admonish or fulfill the command to “speak to one another” (cf. Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19).  Don’t think you have a pretty voice?  I say this in love, but “so what?”  Fortunately for many of us, that’s not what’s commanded.  Don’t scream, but let your voice be heard.

F-eel what you sing.  It seems that singing, by design, strikes a chord in the human spirit (see “expect results”).  That requires deliberate investment in the activity.  If we are audibilizing “Sing And Be Happy,” “There’s Sunshine In My Soul Today,” or “I’m Happy Today,” make sure to wipe off the scowl for at least those few verses.  If the song is an admonition, be taught.  If it is praise to God, pour out your heart to Him.  If it is about appreciating God’s love or the cross, let there be a commensurate emotional response.

U-nite.  While songs of praise are directed vertically, so many of our songs also have the added, horizontal dimension to them.  Singing is a God-given way we unite in fellowship during worship.  It is perhaps the most demonstrable way and certainly the most audible. 

L-ove to sing.  Surely, some must love it better than others.  Not everyone has a burning desire to go over to friends’ homes to sing or to come early to services for “singing practice.”  Some even stay home on nights when the congregation plans a “worship in song” service.  May it be suggested that loving to worship in song may well be an insulation against apostasy and a safeguard against sin.  David was the sweet singer of Israel.  Look at Deborah.  Consider Paul and Silas at midnight over at the jail.  Moses had his song.  The more you put your heart and mind into it, overcoming any self-consciousness or insecurity, the more you will love it, too.

Yes, how P-O-W-E-R-F-U-L is worshipping God in song.  He asks for it.  He pays attention to it.  He is honored and praised by it.  He blesses us through it.  So, then, as the song leaders say, “Let us sing.”

A Walking Confession, A Walking Book

Neal Pollard

            All people in the world are watching our words and deeds.  Jesus teaches, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).  Jesus is calling for a “walking confession,” a life which is an open book.

            The Christian’s life is a manual, revealing what a Christian talks and acts like (Matt. 5:16).  It is a cookbook, showing the necessary ingredients which combine for a rich, full life (2 Pet. 1:5-11).  It is a code book, the reading of which will safely point others to the place of God’s acceptance (1 Tim. 4:12; Rom. 12:1-2).  It is a thriller in that it is bound by all the spiritual blessings that are to be had (Eph. 1:3).  It is a medical book in that it reveals the evidences of the Great Physician (Mark 2:17; Jer. 8:22).  It is a suspense because the best is yet to be for the Christian as “it does not yet appear what we shall be…” (1 John 3:2).  The Christian is read very carefully by “all men” (2 Cor. 3:2).  As our lives are read, what notes do the readers place in the margin?  If they were to label the book of our lives, what would they say?  “Couldn’t put it down!” (Titus 2:8)?  “This book contains error” (1 John 4:6)?  “Easy to follow” (1 Tim. 2:2)?  “Discard” (Rev. 3:14-19)?  “Pages missing” (2 Pet. 1:9)? 

            Peter found it very easy to confess the Lord before the other disciples.  He vowed, “Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death” (Luke 22:33).  Before the next morning’s light hit his face, Peter had denied his Lord three times before men (Luke 22:54ff).  The camaraderie of other believers put Peter to no test, but out there in the world Peter failed the test.  Perhaps arrogance contributed to his denial.  Obviously, fear was involved.  The prospect of ostracism and rejection led to his cowardice.

            If an apostle would stumble at confessing Christ before men, what about you and I?  Separated from the pull and pressures of the world when in the assemblies, we have no difficulty preaching (or hearing), singing, and praying our devout faith in Jesus.  But, when the support group disbands to address life’s daily affairs and the group becomes individuals scattered into different jobs, neighborhoods, schools, and homes, do our lives confess Him?  Do we tell others by our actions that Christ is our Lord?  Do we show them that He is first (Matt. 6:33)?  Out there (in the world) is where Jesus’ conditional statement in Matthew 10:32-33 applies.  If we “stick up” for Christ in the daily tests, then He will reward our triumph over temptation.  Out there is where Christ needs others to see our confession and read our lives.