Musick-al Notes

Musick-al note # 76                                                                                            

     My Father has given me a gift.  It was certainly beautiful to think about and He promised that its value would increase every day as long as I live.  He told me that it would make my life more beautiful and would last more than a lifetime and it was fully paid by his Son. The only regret I had was, it seemed to have a lot of stipulations I had to meet before I could even have it. I would have to change a lot of things that I enjoyed, make a change of life to be courteous and helpful to other people.  Not only that, I had to promise to put away a number of activities and attitudes and even symbolically bury them as if I died to them and trust Him to give me a different kind of life. The gift would be mine only if I accepted it on His terms.  I wasn’t sure I wanted to give up so much.  You see, I really loved my lifestyle and the wild parties that we were having.  I could do as I please and could care less about anyone else.  As long as I didn’t get in trouble with the law, I had no worries and my friends were just like me, having the time of our lives.  The gift is still there, waiting for me.  I knew that He offered the same gift to everyone as well.

      Some of my friends had accepted their gift (like the one offered to me) and they changed a lot after accepting their gift.  The seemed to enjoy life as much as I did but their lives were vastly changed and they did different things for pleasure.  Further, even when things went wrong for them, they continued to be happy people with a peace that I did not have.  It seemed that they enjoyed helping others who were helpless, hurting and lost.  Many of those were poor and offered nothing in return, some never even said ‘thanks’.  When I came into contact with such former ‘friends’, I was often ashamed and embarrassed because of my activities.  Even so, they continued to be friendly and urged me to consider again my ‘gift’.  I did like those ‘old friends’ and began to envy their lifestyle of happy times and they often urged me to join them in their gatherings.  I know my Father would be glad if I did accept His gift and many things have happened that caused me to think of it because it still waits for me.

    The gift of eternal life and freedom from the debt of sin waits for everyone to believe and obey Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23, Hebrews 2:1-3, 5:9).  Please, do not reject it or delay accepting it.                                                                       

                      Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 76     

     Hell is not the grave as some teach and many believe.  Hell is beyond the grave for Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also in Matthew 25:46 “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”  Hell was prepared for the Devil and his angels, “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels”.  (Matthew 25:41).  Paul said, “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-12).  Finally in Revelation 20:10, 14-15, “And the devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.  And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”  Study also Luke 16:19-31 of Jesus teaching concerning the state and destiny of man after death.  The rich man was in hell being in torment and his state could not be changed. A great gulf separated him from Abraham that could not be crossed.  Yes, according to the Bible there is a hell and it is separated from Heaven in the place where God has prepared it.  After death, it is impossible to change one’s place.  Seek the Way of salvation that is found by obeying Christ Jesus and enjoy the blessings that God has prepared in heaven for those who prepare themselves for it (Matthew 7:13-27).

               Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 75     

      The teaching concerning heaven and hell is an inseparable part of the New Testament.  Even Old Testament writers spoke of the reality of heaven and hell and that those who are righteous will go to heaven and the unrighteous will go to hell.  What is heaven?  What is hell?

      Jesus described heaven as the dwelling of God (John 14:1-3) “Let not your hearts be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also”. It is a described as a place that is free from sin (Revelation 21:27).  But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the ‘Lamb’s Book of Life’.  It is a place of glory, “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.  And her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.  But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.  And the city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and the Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it, its gates shall not be shut at all by day, and there shall be no night there.  And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations unto it (Revelation 21:1011; 22-26).  Heaven is real for God has revealed it to us.  It is not something that man has devised nor is it something that man can destroy.  It is as sure and as firm as God Himself.  Both God and His Son, Jesus are there for when Stephen, the first Christian Martyr was stoned. “But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”  (Acts 7:55-56),

                        Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 74

      The study of God’s Word is extremely important because it is God’s revelation to man that teaches us about Him and His Son, Jesus Christ.  In the gospel of John, Jesus said that to “know God and his Son, Jesus is to have eternal life” John 17:3.  This knowledge is not just knowing about God and his Son but includes a loving, personal, obedient relationship that causes one to live for Jesus in daily life. 

     In regard to Judgment, the New Testament declares that “ALL will stand before the judgment seat of Christ – to give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:10-12, 2 Corinthians 5:10₎.  Wherever the judgment seat of Christ is, there we shall be gathered for judgment for Jesus said “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, the sheep on his right, but the goats on his left” (Matthew 25:31-33). The sheep will be blessed but the goats will be cast into eternal fire (Matthew 25:34, 41).  

     We so often read the Scriptures but fail to see and understand that what is said has an application to our lives and an impact on our being judged in the last day.  Consider Jesus statement in Matthew 7:13-14 that we must enter the ‘strait’ way to have life. Do we ever think that to enter we must rid ourselves of ourselves to be rid of all sin? Or when Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 that calling Him ‘Lord’ is not enough but we must obey God’s will to enter into life?  Do we blithely think that doing what we want to do in obedience, manner of life and worship will make us acceptable before God?  How sad to drift through life, thinking of going to heaven when Jesus passes judgment of “Depart from me, worker of iniquity.”

                   Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 73                                                                       

      God sent his son into the world that he might redeem man.  To that end Jesus gave his life-blood for all mankind.  In Hebrews 2:9, the writer states that “He by the grace of God tasted death for every man.”  In Ephesians 1:7, Paul said “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”  Did Jesus death on the Cross erase sin from the world?  Are all men saved because Christ died on the Cross?    If so, why then did Jesus speak of some being cast away into eternal punishment? (Matthew 25:46).  Why then did he and the writers of the New Testament warn about false teachers and their false doctrines that lead to eternal destruction and urge obedience to the Gospel?  Obviously, we are missing something that will harmonize these two ideas.

     Two verses concerning sin come to mind.  The first is Ezekiel 18:4 “Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sins shall die”. The next is Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”.  Both of these verses say that ‘if you sin you must pay the penalty of death’!  Sin holds the debt until it is paid.  That payment is spiritual death – separation from God.  For our salvation, `God accepted the death of Jesus (who had no sin) in lieu of the sin-debt of every man (Isaiah 53:11).  The reality remains that we still have our sins until we meet God’s conditions for forgiveness to get into Christ.  Those conditions are: we must believe (John 8:24), we must repent (Acts 17:30), we must confess him (Matthew 10:32-33), we must be baptized to get into Him (Galatians 3:26-27).  Please note: even Paul was required to do this (Acts 22:16).  Everyone who believes, confesses Christ as Lord, repents of all sin and is baptized into Christ will receive the free gift of God which is eternal life (Hebrews 5:9).  Everyone would like to have this gift, but not all are willing to meet God’s condition for pardon which is called ‘obeying the gospel’.  God promises to save all who will come to Him through His Son (John 14:6, Hebrews 5:9).  Everyone who fails to obey the Gospel is warned that they will die in their sin and suffer eternal punishment (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10). We must preach the Gospel continually so everyone will have the opportunity to be blessed in Christ Jesus.                                                                                          Gordon Musick

Musick-al Note # 72

         The situation with Covid-19 has made it impossible to meet in open fellowship with other Christians.  Our ‘fellowship’ has been severely tested and often some are forgotten and lax communication will cause many to forsake the Lord Jesus.  Everyone should be aware of the temptation to just ‘give up’ when it seems that no-one cares.  We must recognize that each person has a responsibility to follow Christ Jesus in all circumstances of one’s life.

         Sadly it has been so long since Christians have attended services regularly that in most places it is not even expected that all Christians be in attendance.  We have many who do not concern themselves with trying to attend all the opportunities for learning and worship.  It seems to be the thinking that coming occasionally is all that is necessary and coming regularly is alright even though unnecessary, but to attend every class and service is absurd if not fanatical.  All our preaching falls on deaf ears and closed minds because they have closed their minds to the true nature of Christianity.  Theirs is the satisfying self as to the demands of the law, the legal minimum of acceptability to ease their own conscience and not the response of a soul   redeemed from the fiery pit of hell.

          Have you just “joined the church” rather than having “obeyed the Lord”?  Your allegiance can be only as deep as your commitment.  In “joining the church” one’s commitment is only to be identified with the group for some personal satisfaction.  When the group fails to satisfy, then the individual will drop out, attend only spasmodically or leave entirely.  When one “obeys the Lord” the Lord adds him to the church.  His allegiance is not to the people but to the Lord, and his attendance is to be with the Lord (Matthew18:20).  No persuasion keeps such a Christian from every meeting for the Lord to satisfy the hunger of his soul.  His love for Christ binds him to the Lord of glory and he gives his body as a living sacrifice to Him. Such Christians use every opportunity to further their knowledge and show their love to the Christ.  None can keep them from meeting with the saints for they have given their loyalty to the Lord. When the opportunity opens to meeting together, such Christians will be there.

                    Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 71

            The words translated ‘I am’ reveals the eternal nature of God. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, he said, tell the people of Israel that ‘I AM’ has sent you to deliver you (Exodus 3:14-15).  We must also understand that He is ever-present and ‘time’ is meaningless to Him. (2 Peter 3:8). He knew the end of ‘time’ from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10). He is ever-living in present time – always the ‘I AM’.  Jesus said in John 14 6-11 that He and the Father were one and whoever sees Jesus also sees the Father for the Father lived in him and he lived in the Father.  Jesus made many statements to the Jews that they refused to believe and thus rejected him.  One of these is found in John 8:58 when Jesus said, “Before Abraham was, I am”. The Jews responded to this by trying to stone him because this statement declared he was a divine eternal being.

            Other statements in which Jesus used the term ‘I AM’.  I am the bread of life (John 6:48). I am the light of the world (John 8:12). I am the door to salvation (John 10:9). I am the good shepherd who gave his life for his sheep (John 10:11). I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). I am the true vine (John 15:1). I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end (Revelation 1:8, 11).  And I am the Christ (Mark 14:62, John 4:26).  While each of these sayings have a definite teaching of its own, when considered as an entity, they are saying that Jesus is the eternal necessity for every man and woman in the world.  We must think of him as our completeness for without him we can be nor do nothing, yet with him we can achieve the ultimate reality of life with God.  We must hear His voice and follow Him in all he asks (John 10:27-30).  Again He says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).  Following Jesus and keeping His words will bring eternal life to every believer in Him.

                      Gordon Musick

Musick-al Note # 70  

      Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church” upon the foundation that He is the Christ whom Peter had just confessed.  Paul said that no other foundation can be laid upon which man can build his work (1 Corinthians 3:11). On Pentecost following Jesus resurrection, the apostles received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and preached to the Jews the Good News in Christ Jesus that in believing and obedience to Him, their sins were forgiven.   About 3,000 obeyed and were added to them (Acts 2:41) the beginning of His church.  Since that day all who have believed and obeyed have been added by the Lord to the church (Acts 2:47).  The New Testament reveals the church of our Lord Jesus Christ as He gave it to the world.  His Word is the final authority for those who desire salvation in eternity.  It is the pattern we must follow in becoming a member, using approved avenues of worship, how it is organized and one’s daily living to be pleasing to Christ Jesus.  From the pages of the New Testament, we find no confession of faith but Christ as Lord; no greater change of life than repentance of all sins; no entrance requirement but baptism into Christ; no standard of daily living but love; no name to follow but Christ; no teaching but His Word; no creed but His revealed will which we must believe and obey to be pleasing to Him.  What we believe and do today must come from the New Testament.  If it doesn’t, it is of man’s design (Matthew 15:8-9, Colossians 2:20-22).  If our worship is not of faith, it is SIN (Romans 14:23). Faith comes from hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).  We must walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), for by faith we are God’s obedient children (Galatians 3:26), and by faith Christ dwells in our hearts (Ephesians 3:17).  We must examine ourselves whether we are living in the faith of Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5) for there is only ONE FAITH (Ephesians 4:5).

       Have you obeyed the Gospel of Christ, which is God’s power to save (Romans 1:16) then the Lord has added you to His body, the church (Acts 2:47, Galatians 3:26-27, Ephesians 1:22-23).  Be faithful to do His will (Matthew 7:21-27, Revelation 2:10) and He will give you a crown of life (2 Timothy 4:8).

               Gordon Musick

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Musick-al note # 69                                                  

            Mark 6:3 “Is not this the carpenter, son of Mary and they took offense at him”.  Jesus was seen as a carpenter, a lowly occupation. They knew he worked on houses, made furniture, repaired broken chairs, windows and this is what they saw and he should not be preaching such grand words.   Had they only known!  Here stood the builder of the world (Hebrews 1:1-2, John 1:1-3) and even fashioned men’s bodies!  Mighty workings for the carpenter of Nazareth!

            He is the builder of the church – known as the ‘body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23). This ‘House of God’ (1 Timothy 3:15) and ‘Kingdom of Christ’ (Colossians 3:15) is the greatest institution ever built, eternal and indestructible, yet made of blood-bought, redeemed people who believe in Him (Acts 20:28).  It is open to all who do His will (Matthew 11:28-29, Hebrews 5:9) as they prepare themselves to become His bride at His coming (Revelation 21:9) and be delivered to God when time is no more (Revelation 10:6, 1 Corinthians 15:24).

            He is the builder of spiritual lives out of sinful degradation to lives of beauty, service, love and glory.  He can take a life that is lived in slavery to Satan and transform it into a glorious life in His kingdom (Colossians 1:13).  Since men are not inanimate pieces of timber but individuals having free will to choose their course of life, such a change depends upon each individual’s choice of how they live.  In a very real sense, we decide whether the master builder can use us in His eternal plan for the great heavenly city or reject Him to become dross in the crucible of life.  When we hear the Gospel of Christ, believe that He is who He says He is, submit to Him in repentance and bury our old man of sin in baptism, we are given new life and raised to live for Him.  As we faithfully continue throughout life, we are constantly assured that we are acceptable to Him. We have our citizenship in heaven with Christ and at death on earth go home to God.

                     Gordon Musick

Musick-al note # 68

            Most of Jesus teaching was in parables. A parable is teaching spiritual truths through earthly illustrations. When asked why he was using parables, Jesus said, “these things are done in parables so that those outside would ‘see but not perceive’ and ‘hear but not understand’ (Matthew 13:10-11, Mark 4:11-12).  Many will hear the Word of God and never understand the spiritual lessons that are needed, believed and obeyed that they might be saved.  Jesus taught the meaning of many of the parables so we would not misunderstand.  Every parable has spiritual insight for those who desire truth and are willing to follow Jesus.  When you read each parable, look beyond the words he used and learn the lesson that he wants us to know and follow Him.

            His parables covered a multitude of things from the daily life of his time on earth. He spoke of the soils, trees, flowers, grass, animals, houses, pearls, skies, clouds, rain, seed, occupations, rights of employers, responsibility of workers, talents, weeds, harvest, nets, fish, vineyards, wine, wineskins, buildings, attitudes, traditions, failure, obedience, love, marriage, wedding feasts,  life, death, his kingdom, omens, eternal life, loss of things, candle light, eyes, blindness, hair, speech, debts, treasures, fields, flocks, birds, sheep, clothing, food, beauty, gifts and you may find many other things by which he taught his followers.  I am sure that he could and would use many things we have today in parables.

            We should recognize that in every parable there are lessons that should learned by every believer which will enable them to live better and direct their souls to heaven.  We must not gloss over the words of Jesus as just tales to be told but to understand that He was teaching lessons to help us follow Him.

                   Gordon Musick