Zion s Outpost Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ

Transcription

1 Zion s Outpost Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ 6300 Tarrytown, Park City, Kansas Theme for 2003: Sanctified and Cleansed By the Washing of the Word (Ephesians 5:25-27) May 2003 T he Conference of Restoration Elders held their annual Conference in Independence, MO April The meeting was preceded by a Sacrament Service held at the Community of Christ Auditorium. The sacrament Service was a jointly sponsored event by the Conference of Restoration Elders and the Pastors of Zion. The Elder s Conference featured worship services, classes and business sessions and evening preaching services. This year David and Debbie Newman and Gary Whiting attended the conference. Four trips to Kirtland, Ohio are planned this year by the Conference of Restoration Elders. These trips will feature worship in the Kirtland Temple. Separate trips are planned for senior high youth, women, Aaronic priesthood and Elders. The dates are: Youth August 16, 17 Women September 20, 21 Aaronic September 6, 7 Elders November 8, 9 For more information on the Elder s Conference, contact The Newmans or Gary Whiting. N ew exterior, steel doors for the north and southwest doorways have been installed at the church. These doors replace the old, weathered wooden and screen doors which previously guarded these entries. The new doors are insulated and have been installed with safety in mind. The new doors now open to the outside and have push or panic bars installed for easy exit. In the near future, a locksmith will change the locks and re-key all of the exterior doors to use the same key. The new key will be entirely different from any key that we now are using. When these changes are made, new keys will be issued to those who need them. The May 17 workday will be used to begin the process of painting the exterior doors. A new roof was installed on the church during the week of April 6. The old roof had suffered shingle damage from hail. Our insurance company paid a claim on the damage. T he following was received by Sister Pam Burford after she sent the socks collected last month to the Mossy Foot Project. Dear Mrs. Burford, Thank you very much for the socks. I waited a few days to thank you because I expected to find out the day we could send them by excess baggage with Dr. Lucinda Baker, who is a professor of physio-therapy in USC Medical School in Los Angeles. Lucinda had gone to two times before during her summer vacations from teaching in the medical school. I heard from her yesterday that she cannot go this year nor next year. I will send the socks you sent to me in one way or another. They are in dire need. And socks will be an increasing need.as we open up more treatment clinics. There are now seven. There are other persons who Page -1-

2 may be going to Soddo soon but none we are certain of now. These include Kevin Oates who is a Bible teacher in Cornerstone Church at Simi Valley Valley, CA. with his wife, Jessica, who is a nurse. One is a dentist, who may go to Soddo to teach a short course in dentistry. One is Josiah, who is close friend of mine, an Ethiopian, who is now in Pennsylvania. And the other is myself. I should let you know what kind of socks are best economy, that is, what does the most good per dollar given.: Men s New Blend of material in the sock-- mostly cotton but with some manmade material. Colored. Ordinary length or long. (Not very short). The top of the sock should be less than one-inch wide. The reason for this is that it is usually necessary to make several slits in the constrictng ring around the top of the sock to get it on. The wider the constricting ring the sock is manufactured with the longer the cuts must be made, so the more length of the sock is wasted. Tube socks are not satisfactory. I will remove the packaging materials to indicate they are gifts for patients and not merchandise. We do not charge the patients anything for the socks, and the Ethiopian government does not charge any customs duty. Other articles should not be included. ( such as cassettes, toys, other clothing etc). On behalf of the patients, a big thank you. Without socks and shoes they will not get well. Yours in our Lord Jesus Christ, Nathan Barlow T he Park City Food Pantry Project is continuing at least until September of this year. As a group, we have had nice support for the work. Remember that nonperishable food items are requested. Pickup of our monthly donations is made on the last Wednesday of each month. E aster Services were held th on April 20. The Sunrise Service began at 8:00 am. This service used music, drama and scripture to highlight the seven last words of Jesus of his earthly life. After our traditional morning breakfast and Sunday School classes, the morning worship and preaching service was held. Elder Dwight Burford brought a message concerning the sacrifice of Christ. He emphasized the thorns which pierced the head of our Lord. Those thorns represent our sins. Using the example of Abraham s sacrifice, Elder Burford pointed out that the ram that was used as the intercession for Isaac on the altar of sacrifice, was caught in a thorn bush by its horns. This ram was a type and shadow of Jesus Christ. The rams horns represent his strength. His strength was caught up in the thorn bush and because of the thorns the ram was sacrificed. Horns represent strength and power. It was with his strength and power that Jesus bore and conquered sin. When we exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ and yield to his strength and power, Christ is able to deliver us from sin unto righteousness. Yet, if we do not yield, we are defeated by sin and will suffer death. Easter Sunday was concluded with an evening Sacrament of the Lord s Supper. After the administration of the Sacrament, a period of testimony and thanksgiving. W ith sorrow we report the death of Lester Ficke. Lester was the son of Bernard Ficke. Your prayers for the Ficke family are greatly coveted. May May 4 Announcements and Coming Events The entire month is dedicated to Deep Cleaning of the church. You are requested to pitch in and clean. Won t you help out? Special Branch Business Meeting to consider call of Scott Smith to Deacon. May 17 Workday to focus on painting the doors and porch railing. 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. August 4-8 Vacation Bible School will be held during this week. You will not want to miss this week of worship, fun learning and fellowship. This adventure is for all ages and visitors. To volunteer as a helper, contact Dwight and Pam Burford. Page -2-

3 LESSON FIVE REPENTANCE Texts: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the 1 gospel. Mark 1: 15. (1: 13, I. T.) O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the straight gate, and continue in the way which is narrow, until ye shall have eternal life. Jacob 4: 16. The Nature of Repentance Repentance is more than sorrow for sins, or for sin. It embraces a ceasing from sin and a reformation of character, a turning to do the right. An unreformed person is an unrepentant one. Repentance means a ceasing from dead works and a doing of good works. But it also means a restitution for wrongs done, so far as the restitution is possible. A. B. Phillips in The Restoration Movement, p A dictionary definition for repent is, To change the mind with regard to one s conduct, from regret or dissatisfaction. This agrees perfectly with the scripture definition, as may be readily seen. There is a form of worldly repentance which consists merely in being sorry one is caught. The individual is not sorry he did wrong. He is sorry he is caught and is to be punished. That is the kind of repentance Paul had in mind when he said, The sorrow of the world worketh death. (2 Corinthians 7:10.) That kind of repentance worketh death, because all it does is to cause the individual to make up his mind that the next time he will sin, he will be more careful. From this state of mind has been evolved the worldly philosophy: If you can t be good, be careful. The end of the philosophy is death, because man can not escape consequences. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Then there is a godly repentance that Paul had in mind when he said, Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. (2 Corinthians 7:14.) This repentance is sorrow for sin and not for exposure. It I. T. refers to Inspired Translation, a name commonly 1 used for the Inspired Version of the Bible in the earlier years of the Reorganization. will bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. (Matthew 3:8.) (3:35, I. T.) This repentance will cause a man to cease to do evil (Isaiah 1:16), and learn to do well (Isaiah 1:17). This repentance leads us to restitution wherever it is possible to make right that which was wrong. As an example, Zaccheus states that when he had taken anything from any man by fraud he had returned fourfold. (Luke 19:8.) Elbert A. Smith, in Busy Man s Tract on Repentance, pp. 2, 3. By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins. Behold, he will confess them and forsake them. Doctrine and Covenants 58:9. Therefore cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter, from all your lustful desires, from all your pride and light-mindedness, and from all your wicked doings. Ibid. 85:37. Topic: Discuss whether or not one who has never been mean should repent. Prepare for Entrance into the Church One meaning of repentance, To change one s mind, or purpose, or opinion to have another mind. It is not always a sorrowing for sin; for one who has not been a willful sinner may change his mind, or purpose, or opinion. A change in thinking may be repentance, especially if the change in thinking results in a change of action. Regret is not the big thing in repentance. None can cure their harms by wailing them. (Shakespeare.) If one had considered himself as well off outside the church as in it, and after satisfying himself by investigation that he was mistaken and resolves he will obey the gospel and enter the church, he has repented in thought; and when he enters the church he has repented in action. To change one s mind will avail nothing unless corresponding change of action follows. One who becomes dissatisfied with his present life and changes to something different has really repented. Technically the change might be for the worse, and still it would be repentance. But usually repentance means a change for the better, and it is in that sense only in which we will use it in our Page -3-

4 discussion. As a preparation, then, for admission into the church, repentance must involve a determination not only to turn to that which is right, but also to turn from that which is wrong; he must forsake error and cleave to truth. By this ye may know if a man repent of his sins. Behold, he will confess them and forsake them. Perhaps this need not be taken as meaning a formal oral confession; for if one renounce his former conduct by forsaking it, would it not be equivalent to a confession of error? A forsaking of the sin or error as a condition of admission into the church implies the granting of time to give evidence of such forsaking, when necessary; for if one has been living a bad life, how shall the church know he has forsaken it until he demonstrates that he has put it out of his life? All those who humble themselves before God and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into the church. Doctrine and Covenants 17:7. And whosoever repented of his sins and did confess them, them he did number among the people of the church: and those that would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquities, the same were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were blotted out. Mosiah 11:144, 145. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38. Topic: Should, or should not, one be received into the church until he has given evidence by confessing and forsaking his errors? Precedes Gift of Holy Ghost Any theory of sudden or miraculous conversion that violates the law of growth and development of the mind is to be regarded with suspicion. Even though experiences may bring about swiftly changes of one s mind, turning him to God, no violation of the processes of mind are accountable for the change. If the process could be analyzed, it would be found to be normal. Because mental processes are not understood fully, men have been inclined to consider the change to humility, reverence, and joy at discovering the right way, as something miraculous. All growth in the material world is understood to be governed by and according to definite laws, practically speaking. Because some of those laws are not comprehended by man, does not lessen his faith in their existence. The rising of the sap in plant life in springtime and its descent in the fall can not be satisfactorily explained, so far as the definite process is concerned. But that it is governed by definite law, perhaps no one would question. There must be a certain adaptation of conditions within the plant to conditions without favorable to the process. So in the germination of the seed. No botanist has ventured to explain in detail just what the changes in condition are, and why, that causes the dormant and apparently lifeless condition to give way under other conditions of life and growth. Because not understood and not explainable by man, they are not considered miraculous, but the operation of definite laws. Man may accelerate or retard the process by controlling the conditions as a result of his partial knowledge. It could not be expected that life would spring up in the midst of conditions of death. No matter what the environment might be, unless there were a response from within to a favorable environment, life would not be. Repentance is this inward response to environment favorable to life and growth. God as the author of all life, spiritual as well as material, has given the law of spiritual life and growth. The power of his Holy Spirit is offered to man, and is distributed in accordance with definite law, as sunlight is offered to the plant world. Response must be made within the individual by which there is an adaptation to the environment. Conditions formerly producing spiritual death must be given up, and those producing life must be entered into. The gift of the Holy Ghost, the power of life spiritually, must be brought in. Peter declared, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38. Some people at Ephesus thought they had been Page -4-

5 baptized properly, but upon being shown their error they were baptized by Paul, having repented, or changed their attitude, and received the Holy Ghost after hands had been laid upon them. (Acts 19:1-7.) The Nephite prophet taught: For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water: and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire, and by the Holy Ghost. 2 Nephi 13:24. (See also Doctrine and Covenants 32:2.) Topic: What of the necessity of cultivating an inward response to mathematical principles, or laws, in order to grow in mathematics? How about applying this principle in spiritual things? Reconciles Man to God A popular and so-called orthodox confession of faith says of Jesus, Who truly suffered, was dead and buried, to reconcile his Father to us. The Scriptures teach exactly the opposite. Here is one way in which many should change their thoughts. It is man that went out of the regular way, disobeyed, hated, and feared his Maker. God has not changed. The object of Jesus is to reconcile man to God. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: We pray you in Christ s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5: The unrighteous man must change his thoughts. Gomer Wells, in Gospel Quarterly, October-December, 1928, Adult Grade. When trouble arises between a parent and child by reason of the child s waywardness, transgressing the will of the parent, it is the child that must change his thoughts and ways, and not the parent. The child having suffered the parents displeasure can regain his former relationship only through the way the parent may offer. The parent, not having changed, is not to be reconciled, but having the good of the child at heart will offer such terms as will bring about in the child such changes as will be for his best good and restore the forfeited relationship, thus reconciling the child to the parent s will. The Prophet Jacob, in the Book of Mormon, says: Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him, through the atonement of Christ, his only begotten Son. Jacob 3:16. This prophet understood that the change is to be made by man; or, in other words, man is to repent in order to effect a reconciliation with God. Topic: How could God, being perfect, change to bring about a reconciliation between himself and man? Continues throughout Life Like faith and other gospel principles, repentance is a continuing principle. Until perfection is attained, there will be need for change of mind and attitude as one gains knowledge and comes to better understanding. As each forward step is taken, one must abandon former position and advance to the new. And it shall come to pass that he that sinneth and repenteth not, shall be cast out of the church. Doctrine and Covenants 42:11. From this it is seen that one in the church may have occasion to repent, if he sin. Repentance is necessary to qualify for entrance into the church; and it also has application within the church in instances where sin is committed. To Be Attended by Forgiveness Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, was the proclamation of Peter to the persistent Jews. (Acts 2:38.) In explanation of the prayer he taught his disciples, Jesus said, If ye forgive men their trespasses, who trespass against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses. Our past sins are forgiven when we are properly baptized and received into the church. Our subsequent sins and errors are forgiven upon our properly confessing them and forsaking them. (See Doctrine and Covenants 64:2.) Not only is the transgressor under obligation to confess and forsake his wrong, but the church is also under obligation to forgive him upon his repentance, according to the law last cited. Severe condemnation rests upon him who refuses to forgive his repentant brother. My disciples, in days of old, sought occasion one against another, and forgave not one another in their hearts, Page -5-

6 and for this evil they were afflicted, and sorely chastened; wherefore I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another, for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses, standeth condemned before the Lord, for there remaineth in him the greater sin. Ibid. Offender and Offended Are Mutually Responsible It is a gross error to suppose that only the one committing the offense has any obligation toward effecting a reconciliation, for they are mutually enjoined to make peace. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto you as an heathen man and a publican. Matthew 18: (Also Doctrine and Covenants 42:23.). These texts are quite clear as to procedure by the offended toward the offender. But the offender is also under obligation to take the initiative toward reconciliation, as seen by the following: Therefore, if ye shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, or if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way unto thy brother, and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Matthew 5:25, 26, I. T. the one forgiving rather I than to the one being forgiven. The pure in heart must cherish no hatred, and hold no malice toward one another. We should not say, "Well, I ll forgive him, but. There should be no but. We must say, Let God judge between thee and me, and reward thee according to thy deeds. Doctrine and Covenants 64:2. Peace and reconciliation are possible among men only when everyone, the offended and the offender, recognizes and discharges his responsibility. Topic: What is the true attitude of repentance? How only is repentance effected unto forgiveness of sin? SUMMARY True repentance is characterized by a confession and forsaking of sin, making reparation for wrongs committed, and turning from error to truth. Repentance is necessary to prepare for entrance into the church and leads to the reception of the Holy Ghost. By repentance having its perfect work, man is reconciled to God. It is active throughout life and is attended by a forgiveness of sins. In making reparation for wrongs, or the settlement of personal difficulties, the offender and the offended are alike responsible for taking the initiative. Is the principle of repentance active in your life? No Reservations in True Forgiveness Just to the extent we forgive shall we be forgiven; hence the law provides that it shall be full and complete. In Doctrine and Covenants 64:2 the command is to forgive all men. In Luke 17:3, 4, Jesus taught that if your brother trespasses against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turns to you again, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him. In Matthew 18:21, 22, answering Peter's question, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times; but until seventy times seven. It appears, therefore, the greater good comes to Page -6-

7 August 4-8 Is underway for a great time Are you planning to be there? Are you planning to bring a friend? Are you planning to help and pray?. Zion s Outpost 6300 Tarrytown Park City, KS May Newsletter 2003 TO: Page -7-