Roanoke Church of Christ

One of my favorite TV shows was Rocky and Bullwinkle. (Like you didn’t watch it!) It was supposed to be for kids but it had a sneaky appeal to at least some adults.

A favorite segment of mine was “Fractured Fairy Tales”. They were cute and creative. Fractured scriptures are neither. Fractured scriptures are those taken out of context. They are the ones used to defend a position, usually prejudicial, or traditional.

It is interesting that a number of those commonly used, have to do with the poor and the needy. That is ironic, since the poor and needy are among the most talked about by Jesus and the prophets. In fact, something Jesus himself said gets fractured. In Matt. 26:11; Mk. 14:7 and Jn. 12:8, Jesus says, “The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.” When that is quoted it is usually, “Well, Jesus said there’d always be poor people.” The context for using that statement is mostly in relation to what to do about poverty. That was not Jesus’ point if you read the whole context. He also said they would not always have him. If the statement meant the poor would always be with us, does it also mean that Jesus will not always be with us?

Another one is in II Thess. 3:10. Here Paul says, “For even when we were with you we gave you this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” Translation: “Poor people on welfare are lazy and should not get help because they will not work.” First, the passage has
nothing to do with public assistance. Second, no one likes freeloaders. But there are a lot of rich boys and girls, men and women, who never worked a day in their lives and eat really well. Think Paris Hilton and countless others. But wait, they have the number one god—-money.

About this text we need to ask at least two questions. One: Why do we immediately think of welfare? Two: Why is this the only place Paul feels the need to say this? By the way, the idea that Paris Hilton and others like her are “busybodies” because they don’t work doesn’t fit the context either. People who work can also be “busybodies”. If we ask why the two letters to Thessalonica were written, perhaps we might get closer to what Paul meant. If you remember, the folks over there were called “a model” for believers. (I Thess 1:7) But it seems there was a problem with accusations of greed on the part of Paul, which takes up most of chapter 2. After personal notes in Chapter 3, he deals with the need to stay away from sin. Then in Chapter 4, it is interesting that in vs. 11 he tells them to “work with your hands, just as we told you”. Are they a “model” church of freeloaders? Then in response to some questions about those who had died before Jesus returned, he tries to answer their concerns. In so doing, his words leave the impression Jesus’ return will be soon.

In II Thess. He speaks of their “persecutions and trials”. He says these will be solved when the Lord comes with “blazing fire”. 1:7 But he needs to correct some ideas about Christ’s return. A bad guy has to show up first, someone he’s told them about who is on the horizon, about to be come. In the meantime they are to be ready. Then, as he ends, he tells them to stay away from everyone who is “idle”. 3:6 There it is again. What’s the problem with these “brothers”? In vs. 11 he comes back to it, saying he has heard about the idle “busybodies”. Note that in vs. 12 he urges them to “settle down and earn the bread they eat.” Why were they unsettled and not working? What were they “busy” about that caused them to not work? Dare we say they were like those who quit work any time someone predicts the coming of the Lord and goes about spreading the message of “Jesus is coming soon, morning or night or noon”? Why else would this “model” church have people unsettled and not working?

There are other such passages, like that whole thing about widows in I Timothy. Do we really believe Paul thought a sixty year old widow was young and then old a year later”. (I Tim. 5:9) And have you noticed how, when Jesus’ words about how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven, we rush to explain it, rather than say, “O yeah, all those greedy rich people!” Or when James says, “Is it not the rich who are exploiting you”, (2:6) we don’t say, “Boy is he right about the rich!” Do you know why?
Keith kswrev@aol.com

CONCERNS: Mary Smith is home, but still unable to be out and about. Jim Hunter has started chemotherapy. Del Bolin asks prayers for Sharon and Ellen. Ellen is near death. Sharon has lymphoma. He also has a student whose brother-in-law, Billy, has very serious thyroid cancer. His wife is pregnant with their fourth child. Tony Smallwood, the injured truck driver has shown some improvement. He is in Forsythe Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC. Donna Brutto, Jo Wagner’s cousin is recovering from bladder cancer. Jenn McCready, a therapist in Del Bolin’s office, Mark McRoy’s friend, Ken Teatino, has had good reports as he undergoes treatment for lymphoma. We have learned that former member Anita Pennell’s mother is critically ill in Tennessee. Helen Nicklas remains about the same. Remember Jenni Cullum, Joni Beach’s mother, Alma Martin, Tim Elder and all the good work of Health Talents and Bread For A Hungry World.

OUR DAILY BREAD: MAY 7-12
Monday: Exodus 14:10-31
Tuesday: Isaiah 2:1-14
Wednesday: Romans 14:1-9
Thursday: John 5:1-18
Friday: Genesis 4:1-18
Saturday: Psalm 146:1-10
OUR DAILY BREAD: MAY 14-19
Monday: John 1:35-51
Tuesday: Revelation 1:4-20
Wednesday: I Corinthians 6:7-20
Thursday: Luke 17:11-19
Friday: Philippians 2:1-13
Saturday: Psalm 98:1-9

CONGRATULATIONS
AC Branch will graduate from Faith Christian soon. She has been on the Honor Role each of her years there. She will be, as it is officially said, matriculating to Roanoke Collage. She will be living on campus, but we’ll still get to see her. ALSO: There will be a dinner hosted by Erma Williams for her in the annex on Sunday, May 20 at 6:00 PM. Everyone is invited to come. Also in attendance will be former members Jacob and Kayla Hawks who are also graduates.

THANKS
Our thanks to several of our young folks as well as some adults who prepared and served the evening meal at the Ronald McDonald House on Wednesday evening. This has become a really enjoyable and rewarding work.

KIROUS
Kirous (that may not be the right spelling) is a prison ministry that Joanne Elder is involved in. They will be using the annex on Saturday, May 12 to develop some of their plans. If you would like to help, they could use some. They will be there from 8 or 9 AM to about 2 PM. See Joanne for the exact time.

A WEEKEND VBS?
The steering committee was asked about having a weekend VBS program in late summer or early fall. It depends on how many people will be available to help. It would be called, Rocky Point Lighthouse. Think about it and more information will be forthcoming

ALUMINUM CANS
AC Branch is collecting aluminum cans for a friend who is trying to help give his friend a “boost” when he is released from jail by being able to sell the cans to Cycle Systems. You can put them in the room to the left at the foot of the stairs.

ALUMINUN TABS
Before turning in the cans, remove the pull tabs. These can be used by the Ronald McDonald House. A jar has been placed on the table downstairs and a box in the same room where the cans may be deposited.

SUPER SUNDAY
Super Sunday is May 20. Make plans to stay and enjoy the meal together.

By my friend, Ben
Jim Bob were laid out all peaceful-like in his casket. He were. I reckon I‘d never seen him look so good. That were because Jim Bob were one of them unhappy folks what were on the mean side. He were. He’d married a girl named Amy Justice, but he beat her an’ their little boy so bad they put him in jail. They did. When he got out he went back to his pa an’ worked the mines. He did. Like his pa, he did a lot of drinkin’. He were a well-known bar fighter an’ spent a sight of time in jail. He did.

How he come to die were because him’n Billy Joe Hartley, who were about the only friend he had, decided to jump offen the Blackwater bridge one night after doin’ some heavy drinkin’. In the dark, an’ not bein’ all together, Jim Bob dove into the shallow part of the river an’ hit a rock. Since it were dark, an’ Billy Joe were three sheets to the wind, he couldn’t find Jim Bob until it were too late. It were.

His pa looked up at me from the corner of the room an’ frowned. He did. I reckon he wondered why I were there. I weren’t even sure myself. Jim Bob sure weren’t no friend of mine. He weren’t. I reckon I came because I were perty sure not too many other folks would. An’ from the looks of things that seemed to be right. It were. I took one more look at Jim Bob an’ nodded to his pa an’ left. I did.

I knowed Jim Bob an’ his pa since they come to town when I were about ten years old. I did. Jim Bob were a bully, an’ more’n once me an’ him had it out on the school yard. We did. The last time were when he said somethin’ nasty to Sara Jane. I saw the look on her face when he said it an’ I stepped between them an’ looked Jim Bob in the eye. I did. I told him I knowed it wouldn’t do no good for him to take back what he said, cause he’d already said it. But iffen he ever said anything like that agin to Sara Jane, or any girl while I were around, he’d have to answer to me. I did. Well, Jim Bob looked at me like he wanted to kill me. He did. As he drew back his fist I told him I didn’t want to hurt him none, but iffen that fist came forward, it’d better knock me out. Cause iffen it didn’t I be on him like a flea on a hound dog. I did. Well, he walked away cussin’ an’ promisin’ to get me when I weren’t lookin’. He did. An’ all the years since he’d kinda nod his head when he saw me, just to let me know he hadn’t forgotten that day on the schoolyard. He did.

But I reckon what I remember most about Jim Bob were a day when he an’ his pa were in town. It were passed about that the ma’d run off with a feller an’ took a little sister with her. Some folks said ol’ man Jones only kept Jim Bob so he could make him do all the work around the house while he worked in the mines an’ did some drinkin’ an’ carousin’.

On that day me’n Ma were in town doin’ some shoppin’. We were. As we was walkin’ toward Jamison’s Mercantile, Jake Jones parked his truck a ways ahead of us an’ got out. He were mad about somethin’ an’ it seemed to be Jim Bob. Ol’ Jake pulled Jim Bob from the truck an’ shoved him to the ground. He did. He started slappin’ an’ cussin’ him out. He did. An’ then he drawed back his foot as iffen to kick him. He did.

Now Ma were a right strong woman. She were. An’ as fast as lightenin’ she stepped forward an’ hooked ol’ Jake’s drawed back foot with her umbrella what she were carryin’. She did. It caught ol’ Jake off balance an’ he spun around an’ went down. He did. When he got his bearin’s an’ saw ma he jumped up an’ I knowed he were gonna hit her. I did. Ma held her ground an’ told ol’ Jake he weren’t gonna be beatin’ on his boy while she were around. She did.

I reckoned ol’ Jake mighta done somethin to ma, but by that time Fred Wallace an’ his son Bill were walkin toward us. They was. Ol’ Jake just grabbed Jim Bob by the collar an’ put him in the truck an’ off they went. They did. As they drove away Jim Bob looked back at ma like he were glad she were there. He did.

Now none of that kept Jim Bob from bein’ a bully. It didn’t. Fact is, he got worse. So the day me’n him had it out over Sara Jane, I asked Ma about it. I did. She said, “Benny, do you remember that ol’ dog what wandered in here a few years back? Remember how he were all beat on?” I told her I did. “Well Benny, you remember how even though we fed him, he still were afraid of us, an’ growled when we got too close? He’d been damaged so much all he could do was be afraid an’ be sure nobody got close enough to hurt him no more. One mornin’ he were gone. Do you remember? Benny, that poor dog had been so mistreated, he couldn’t trust nobody. Folks are that way too. You know how Jim Bob’s dad treats him. Well, Jim Bob knows iffen he fought back he’d get it even worse. So he takes his hurt out on other folks, like them kids at school.”

As I drove home I thought about Pa. He didn’t take none to church. He didn’t. He weren’t agin it, he just weren’t for it. I asked ma about it one time an’ she said pa were raised real strict-like an’ went to a church with one of them hell-fire preachers. He kept folks afraid of him and God. She said he were always preachin’ on how nearly everything was worldly an’ how one little unforgiven sin would send a body to hell. An’ pa’s ma n pa believed every word of it. Problem were, they found out the preacher were doin’ about all the things he were condemnin’. He were. So when pa left home he stopped goin’. He did. She said they’d talked about it, but were like the die had been cast. It were.

I reckon Pa, Jim Bob an’ that ol’ dog had something in common. They did. They was all shaped by the bad things what happened to them. The things what were supposed to make ‘em what they could be were the things what didn’t.

Once Ma told me she loved me with the love of the Lord. She did. When I asked her what that meant, she said it meant she would live an’ die for me, just like the Lord did for all of us. She did. An’ I reckon iffen we treated folks an’ animals like that we’d be shaped the way the Lord wants us to be. I do
Keith kswre@aol.com

CONCERNS: Mark McRoy has asked for prayers for a friend who has just been diagnosed with leukemia. His name is Ken Teatino. Mary Smith is receiving rehab at the Berkshire Health Care, room 10. Del Bolin has asked for prayers for Sharon and Ellen. Sharon has lymphoma and Ellen’s illness is terminal. Remember also Del’s co-worker Jen McCready, who must have monthly treatment to keep her sight. Tony Smallwood a truck driver who was seriously injured in an accident has been removed from life support, but as of this writing was not dead. Jim Hunter has started radiation treatments. Donna Brutto (cancer). Helen Nicklas, Jenni Cullum, Ron Matney, Alma Martin, Joni Beach’s mother, Tim Elder and Health Talents International, Bread For A Hungry World and for the will of God on the earth.

OUR DAILY BREAD: APRIL 16-21
MONDAY: Psalm 119:57-72
Tuesday: Matthew 12:38-50
Wednesday: James 1:19-27
Thursday: Jonah 3:1-4:11
Friday: Romans 6:1-23
Saturday: Psalm 113:1-9
OUR DAILY BREAD: APRIL 23-28
Monday: Joshua 24:14-28
Tuesday: Acts 9:1-9
Wednesday: James 5:1-18
Thursday: I John 1:5-2:6
Friday: Hebrews 12:1-14
Saturday: Psalm 138:1-8

ON SUNDAY
On Sunday, April 15, the new members of the steering committee will be formally introduced and blessed with prayers and welcome from the congregation. They are: Del Bolin, Martha Foy, Susan Jordan and Wayne Phlegar.

SUPER SUNDAY
Sunday is also Super Sunday. What more appropriate day to welcome and encourage the new committee members than at a fellowship meal. Plan to stay.

STEERING COMMETTEE MEETING
There will be a steering committee meeting in the library following the Super Sunday meal.

CLOTHING DRIVE
Students from the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Jefferson College of Health Sciences are helping the Rescue Mission by collecting clothing. They especially need plus-sized clothes for women as well as men. A box has been placed in the downstairs kitchen. If you have more than the box will hold, place the bag next to it. Someone from those two places will come and collect this when they are called. A reminder is on the downstairs bulletin board.

ALUMINUM CANS AND TABS
Pull off the aluminum tabs from drink cans and bring them to the building. These help the local Ronald McDonald House. Save the cans for AC Branch. A friend of hers has a friend is incarcerated. His friend wants to collect as many aluminum cans as possible to give him something he can sell to get started when he gets out. The cans may also be placed in the downstairs kitchen. A box has been placed for the tabs.

THE NEW SOUND SYSTEM
We are making progress in replacing our old sound system. Contact has been made with a church member in Greensboro, NC who is in the audio/visual business. He has offered to work with us on quality and cost. More information may be available by Sunday’s steering committee meeting.

WARMER WEATHER
With the warm weather coming, we hope soon to start on some improvements to the air conditioning.

Jo and I accepted an invitation from Connie and Rich Crites to go to a local church last Sunday evening to see a Russian Jew perform the Passover Seder.

What I found interesting was how the speaker gave the Passover a Christian interpretation. Not that it was in some way wrong. It was in the way he wove items together.

For example, he had a small, cute, Muppet-like lamb, which served as the Pascal lamb. He said the Jews were to take the lamb as God instructed, into their homes for four days before it was killed. He said the reason for this was to make the little lamb part of the family and loved (as a pet kw) by the children. That would make the slaughter of the lamb more significant. He would later tie this to the love of Jesus we should have for his sacrifice. However, while the lamb was to be taken in the house for four days, it was probably more about purification than loving. Also, it says if the house was too small for the lamb, a neighbor could share theirs. By the way, the lamb was to be a year old. (Ex. 12:5) A year old sheep isn’t all that cuddly. The term “lamb” probably meant it had to be born in that gestation year.

I was pleased that he did not say the lamb was a sin offering. He said it was to set them free. He said nothing about them being less sinful after the lamb was slain, or when they went out the next morning. He also jokingly said that Pharaoh was “baptized” in the sea when the waters came rushing back together. The Bible never says Pharaoh died, just his army. No big deal, it was just a funny.

I caught another difference between his presentation and the one I’d previously seen on film. He took three squares of matzo bread and said the bottom represented the people, the top was God, and than asked what the middle represented. In the film presentation, the leader, who was part of the Jews for Jesus, said no one knew why the middle piece was there. He later said Christian Jews saw it as Christ. The local speaker said the middle piece represented the priests, and then tied this to Christ being our high priest. Looking at the internet I found that the three pieces of matzo can represent any number of things, depending on what you want to make them symbolize. So, since the arraignment of the matzo is not clearly explained, nor in the Bible, its beginning and interpretation is pretty much left to interpretation.

All this seems to say that while symbols can be significant, they should not be taken too literally. We generally think of the Passover as the time when only Israelites escaped Egypt by putting the blood of the lamb on the doorpost. But in Exodus 12, after telling how many Israelites left Egypt, verse 38 says, “Many other people went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.” Who were these “other” people? Could they have been Egyptians who lost a firstborn and were therefore “converted”? If so, nothing is said about it.

We can tell the book of Exodus was not written chronologically, but in verse 43 and following, part of the regulations concerning Passover was that any foreigner or alien male who wanted to join in the Passover had to be circumcised just as the Israelite males were.

You may be wondering about the title of this article. Few people who describe the Passover note that “lamb” in 12:3 means lamb or goat. In verse 5 it says the year old can be a sheep or goat. While “the blood of the goat” may seem offensive, we might remember the “scapegoat” of Leviticus 16 that carried away the sins of Israel into the wilderness. Which, when you think about it, is also a symbol of what Jesus did. What is interesting is our aversion to goats. Can you imagine having a year old goat in the house for four days? And, dare we think how many Israelites were spared by putting goat blood instead of lamb’s blood on their doorposts? While we’re at it, were all those “other people” who went out with the Israelites, Egyptian friends that were given the blood of a goat or lamb so they too could be saved? Now that sounds like something Jesus would do.

All this should cause us to think about how we can become too literal.
Keith kswrev@aol.com

CONCERNS: Mary Smith fell and broke her arm. She is now in Berkshire Nursing Care, room 10, in Vinton, where she is having therapy. After a week or so in the hospital, Wayne Phlegar is home and doing well. Susan is having back problems, but they hope to be at church soon. Jim Hunter will be starting cancer therapy. Erma Williams’ father, also, one of Erma’s good friends has lost her father who lived in WVa. Garrett Williams as asked for prayers for a fellow truck driver, Tony Smallwood, who was critically injured in a trucking accident last week. Donna Brutto, Jen McCready, Sam, who is recovering from an eye injury. Helen Nicklas, Jenni Cullum, Ron Matney, Alma Martin, Joni Beach’s mother, Tim Elder, the work of Health Talents and Bread for a Hungry World.

OUR DAILY BREAD: APRIL 2-7
Monday: Isaiah 6:1-13
Tuesday: Matthew 13:1-23
Wednesday: John 6:1-15
Thursday: Luke 7:36-50
Friday: Genesis 39:1-23
Saturday: Psalm 66:1-20

OUR DAILY BREAD: APRIL 9-14
Monday: Hosea 11:1-9
Tuesday: Matthew 10:24-39
Wednesday: Exodus 16:1-36
Thursday: Luke 7:36-50
Friday: John 13:31-38; 18:15-27
Saturday: Psalm 103: 1-22

THANKS
Our thanks to Scott Blessing and Richard Crites for filling in while Keith was away. Not to put Scott on the spot, but someone said it was the best sermon they’d heard him preach. I (kw) got to hear Richard’s sermon and it was also very good. ALSO: You may be interested in knowing that after Dr. Wayne Morris spoke about the work of the Gideons in distributing Bibles, you gave $680.00 toward their work.
PULL TABS
After working with the Ronald McDonald House, we discovered that they can redeem the pull tabs from aluminum cans. So if you drink from cans, save the tabs. We will have a container on the downstairs table to collect them.
ALUMINUM CANS
After you’ve pulled the tabs from the cans, also save the can itself. AC Branch is saving them for a friend who can use them to, in some way, help a friend who is in prison. You can be sure it’s not to escape. Ask AC for the full details.
WELCOME
We welcome the new members of the steering committee. All of the people nominated received at least a 75% vote of confidence by the congregation. The new members are, in alchemical order: Del Bolin, Martha Foy, Susan Jordan and Wayne Phlegar. Our thanks to them for their willingness to serve.
EASTER EGG HUNT
The annual Easter Egg Hunt for the little ones will be next Sunday (Easter) on the area behind the annex. All little ones up to the third grade. Holly Wagner and her helpers will hide the eggs. If you will bring wrapped fun-sized candy, Skittles, M&M, or Fruit Snacks. See Holly today as to if she needs plastic eggs. Parents, be sure to bring your cameras. If the weather fails us another place will be selected.
SUPER SUNDAY
The 18th is Super Sunday. Now that the weather is sunny and warmer there will not be the need for a fire in the fireplace, but there will still be wonderful food and fellowship. Make plans now to attend. It’s always a great day.