[Biblemat] Good News for Norwalk: Volume II, Number 35: September 2-7, 2007

[Ethan R. Longhenry]

Good News for Norwalk

For I am not ashamed of the good news, for it is the power of God for 
salvation to everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16)

A publication of the church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio
Volume II, Number 35: September 2-7, 2007
Special Gospel Meeting Edition

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The "Folly" of God

This was not the expected script.

The time, of course, was right. Four grand empires had been prophesied (cf. 
Daniel 2, 7); Babylon and Medo-Persia were long gone, the age of the Greeks 
was over, and Rome was now in power.

He was supposed to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2); it was expected that He 
would grow up in the land of his father David with a proper pedigree. 
Nevertheless, the Child was born to a teenage girl in a most controversial 
way and was raised in Nazareth in Galilee (Matthew 1-2). Nazareth 
represented a backwater, worthy of ridicule and disdain (John 1:46). What 
prophet would come from Galilee (John 7:41,52)?

He did not go to school, as far as we can tell, and did not study under a 
notable rabbi (cf. John 7:15). His teachings, however, were amazing. For 
three years He went about Galilee, Judea, Samaria, and the Transjordan 
proclaiming "the Kingdom of God" (Matthew 4:23). It was not, however, what 
was expected. In this Kingdom, the first would be last, and the last first 
(Matthew 19:30). The humble would be exalted; the exalted would be humbled 
(Matthew 23:12). It would not be a place to find, and yet it would be 
everywhere (cf. Luke 17:20-21). His teachings directly and intentionally 
turned the world upside down (cf. Luke 6:20-26). Around 34 years of age He 
went up to Jerusalem, heralded by many as the Messiah, only to be captured, 
mistreated, convicted, and crucified as a common criminal, while His 
followers scattered (cf. Matthew 21-27, etc.). While this had been the end 
of the story for so many "messiahs", this story was not yet finished. It was 
claimed that on the third day He rose again by the power of God and received 
authority from on high (Matthew 28, Philippians 2:5-10).

What did this Ruler then do? He sent out His twelve disciples to promote the 
message of His Kingdom (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 2). They and their associates 
traversed the known world, preaching that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified 
for the sins of mankind and was made both Lord and Christ by God the Father 
(Colossians 1:6, Acts 2:36, 1 Corinthians 15:1-9).

Who could believe such a story? The story is so fantastic, so unexpected, 
and so entirely contrary to received wisdom; it could not have come from the 
mind of man. Paul establishes the following in 1 Corinthians 1:18, 21-25:

For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us 
who are saved it is the power of God...For seeing that in the wisdom of God 
the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure 
through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe. Seeing 
that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ 
crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness; but 
unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, 
and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and 
the weakness of God is stronger than men.

The story might be foolishness to the world, but we can be confident that 
God's folly surpasses man's wisdom. We have every reason to believe the Good 
News regarding Christ Jesus, and we encourage you to consider your lives and 
strive to be found pleasing to Him!

Ethan R. Longhenry
evangelist at norwalkchurch.org

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Gospel Meeting!

Be Our Guest!
Gospel Meeting

September 2-7
with Garreth Clair of Hilliard, Ohio

September 2: 9:30am, 10:30am, 6:00pm
September 3-7: 7:30pm each evening

church of Christ
386 North Edgewood Drive
Norwalk, Ohio 44857

Plan to be there!

Invite your friends!

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The church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio

Thank you for reading the electronic version of our bulletin, Good News for 
Norwalk. If you live in Norwalk or happen to be traveling in the Norwalk 
area, we would certainly love to have you visit one of our assemblies!

Our location:

386 North Edgewood Drive (just off US 250 just north of Norwalk's city 
limits)
Norwalk, Ohio 44857

Our assemblies:

Sunday morning assembly: 10:30am
Sunday evening assembly: 6:00pm

Our Bible studies:

Sunday morning Bible study: 9:30am
Wednesday evening Bible study: 7:00pm

For More Information

If you have any questions or comments about anything you have read here, or 
desire more information, please contact our evangelist, Ethan Longhenry, at 
evangelist at norwalkchurch.org.

Good News for Norwalk is a publication of the church of Christ in Norwalk, 
Ohio, for the promotion of God's truth in our world. For more information 
about the church of Christ in Norwalk, please visit our website at 
norwalkchurch.org.

Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com
Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio
 (http://www.norwalkchurch.org)
Website: http://www.deusvitae.com
AIM: Deus Vitae / ICQ#: 28317056
MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae at hotmail.com
Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus

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