By Brent Smith [Brent Smith is the preaching minister of the Trenton Church of Christ in Trenton, Tennessee.] “You shouldn’t judge.” Have you been told that? Have you said that to someone else? What is really meant by the judgmental statement, “You shouldn’t judge”? Murder is a sin. Rape is wrong. It is evil for…
A siege of ancient Samaria caused a terrible famine. The Arameans had surrounded the city for so long that its inhabitants were paying outrageous prices for despicable food. A donkey’s head cost 80 shekels of silver. Some mothers resorted to cannibalism, boiling and eating their own children. The horror ended when the Lord made the…
Before his ascension into heaven, Jesus entrusted his disciples with the Great Commission: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all…
[Brent Smith is the preaching minister of the Trenton Church of Christ in Trenton, Tennessee.] The apostle Paul writes, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8.28). Ultimately, that working “together for good” is realized in forgiveness,…
What is the essence of manhood? Is it physical power, the strength to lift heavy weights or wrestle bullies to the ground? Is manhood emotional reserve, the repression of tears when bitter losses come? Is it sexual potency, the ability to father children? Moses says that “God created man in his own image” (Gen. 1:27).…
One evening about 10 years ago, I was listening to “Marketplace” (a financial-news program on National Public Radio). Kai Ryssdal, the show’s host, was discussing the nation’s economic woes—the weak dollar, steep oil prices, the housing slump, and so forth. Into his conversation with the audience, Ryssdal casually interjected a shocking insult. He said, “If…
By Brent Smith [Brent Smith is the preaching minister of the Trenton Church of Christ in Trenton, Tennessee.] Displacement, persecution, domestic hardships and natural disasters all contributed to persistent poverty in the Jerusalem church and among the Christians in Judea. There is no evidence to suggest that any relief came from Rome or the…
Why do bad things happen to good people? Wrestling with this painful question is nothing to feel guilty about. When Jesus leaves the splendor of heaven, he knows exactly what his mission will be. He is to walk as a man among men, resist all human weaknesses and temptations, and finally die a bitter death…
The temple police were arresting Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. Peter drew his sword to defend him. He “struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus” (John 18:10). Concerning this incident Luke recorded a detail easy to overlook. When the apostles witnessed the treacherous Judas kiss…
[Brent Smith is the preaching minister of the Trenton Church of Christ in Trenton, Tennessee.] In the book of Acts, Luke reveals that there was ongoing poverty among the Christians in Jerusalem. From the Day of Pentecost when the church was established and for decades afterward, special offerings and collections were needed to help…
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