Word Outside the Walls

The end of week message I decided on is from a rock band called "System of A Down". If you don't know of them, you've been living a sheltered existence. They are one of the top rock bands of the past couple of years. During an interview on MuchMusic TV, they asked one of the members 'what would you be doing if the rock fame and all went away?' and he said 'preach the word.' What? replied the interviewer. 'ya know, the word.. the gospel. Jesus'. Interesting huh? Dig into the lyrics of the song called "Aerials" and you find a wealth of the word hidden in it...


Aerials: by System of A Down

Life is a waterfall
we're one in the river
and one again after the fall
swimming through the void
we hear the word
we lose ourselves
but we find it all....
cause we are the ones that want to play
always want to go
but you never want to stay
and we are the ones that want to choose
always want to play
but you never want to lose
aerials, in the sky
when you lose small mind
you free your life
life is a waterfall
we drink from the river
then we turn around and put up our walls
swimming through the void
we hear the word
we lose ourselves
but we find it all...
cause we are the ones that want to play
always want to go
but you never want to stay
and we are the ones that want to choose
always want to play
but you never want to lose
aerials, in the sky
when you lose small mind
you free your life
aerials, so up high
when you free your eyes eternal prize
aerials, in the sky
when you lose small mind
you free your life
aerials, so up high
when you free your eyes eternal prize

Forsaking the Assembly

It is truly sad that modern churches use cheap gimmicks to get people to attend. The church service has been changed from heart-felt worship to Hollywood style entertainment complete with special effects. Churches that once focused on good Bible study classes, now compete against one-another like businesses for new members. In an attempt to increase numbers, they advertise pot-lucks, dinner theatres, bake sales, soup kitchens, bingo, camping trips, exercise classes and various support groups ... things which have nothing to do with religion or the Bible. If it brings in the numbers, they will do it. Yes, these churches are full every Sunday, but most members would quit if the "cake and ice cream" that initially attracted them were no longer offered. There are many people today who attend church because they are "bread seekers" rather than genuine Christ seekers. Is the reason why you attend with your church listed below?

24 Wrong Reasons to Attend With A Specific Local Church

1. Homosexuality is OK
2. Ethnic, language, or race similarities
3. You really like the preacher: he's dynamic or handsome
4. Church building is large & beautiful
5. Support groups & exercise classes
6. Its where your parents attended
7. Its the church you got married in
8. Midweek daycare for your children
9. They have a popular TV program
10. Building is geographically convenient
11. Craft classes & ladies tea afternoons
12. Family social evenings & youth groups
13. Monetary & food gifts for members
14. They run a 'Christian' public school
15. You agree with their political views
16. Summer camping retreats offered
17. You are dating one of their members
18. Opportunity for business contacts
19. Musical programs and dinner theaters
20. Bingo, raffles and bazaars
21. The people are friendly and loving
22. The church needs me
23. Important or influential people attend
24. The services are exciting

Taking Truth the Distance

Sometimes people out there think us Christian types are full of hot air. We believe in something that just isn't true. Or we've made the whole thing up. Fact is, all of us believe in something. Even if you believe in nothing, you believe that's the way it is. The men who are written of in the New Testament who walked and talked with Christ obviously believed what they heard and saw. If it was a made up story they wouldn't be so willing to give their lives for the truth they wanted everyone to hear and receive, would they? That being said, let's look at the track record of the followers of Jesus.

- Matthew suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, killed by a sword.
- Mark died in Alexandria, Egypt, dragged by horses through the streets.
- Luke was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost.
- John, the only apostle to die peacefully, faced martyrdom when he was boiled in oil where he was miraculously delivered from death, John was then sentenced to the island of Patmos, he was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa, and died as an old man.
- Peter was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross, he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.
- James the Greater, son of Zebedee, was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial, he later declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.
- James the Just, the brother of Jesus, was thrown over a precipice and fell one hundred feet from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.
- Bartholomew, also known as Nathaniel, was martyred for his preaching in Armenia when he was flayed to death by a whip.
- Andrew was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece... he was whipped severely by seven soldiers, they then tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony, yet he continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he died.
- Thomas was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips.
- Jude, the brother of Jesus, was killed with arrows for refusing to deny his faith.
- Matthias, the replacement for Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.
- Barnabas was stoned to death at Salonica.
- The apostle Paul was tortured and then beheaded by Nero at Rome in AD 67.

What do you believe? And are you willing to take it the distance?
Chris