Andrew Murray
And God Created Woman
Difference between Anabaptists and Evangelicals
Mysteries of the Kingdom of God
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The Anabaptist Voice
12/03/2008
Proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God: Love, Joy and Peace in
Jesus.
Dear Friend,
Did you have a blessed Thanksgiving Day? We pray you did. We did, but
our concern is always for our two single sons, David and Jim. They are living
alone. This year, they were together with Mike and his family and they all went
to their friend’s house to celebrate. We are so glad for that. Thank you,
Lord, for blessing us all.
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with Tony and Krishta Brown. This past
week we had wonderful guests almost every day for our daily 5 pm evening
worship. It is so wonderful to share the love of our Heavenly Father with
brothers and sisters in Lord. On Monday Matthew Hils came, on Wednesday Phyllis
Hinkle from Vineyard church, on Thursday Tony and Krishta Brown, and on Friday
our church service was after dinner at the home of Donna Davis with her mother
Mary and son Kevin. Our God has been blessing us so much these days.
November 28th was Mike’s birthday so we called Mike to wish
him a happy birthday. As we were talking with Mike, he said, “Here are David
and Jim. They just came.” We are happy to know they
could be with Mike and his family on his birthday.
Here is a photo of our friend, two year old Emily, an orphan at the
Wa’Ta-lus Kuatei Children’s Home in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico, which
serves indigenous children of the Kumiai Indian tribe. We are blessed by them
and try to support that Indian orphanage in Mexico.
At our daily 5 pm home church service, we are now reading from the gospel
of Luke. Don and Michi read the same Bible passage in three different
translations; once the previous night, and another in the morning, and then at
church time. Recently, Michi began reading the Bible in the Japanese language
at night, which her cousin Dr. Kenichi Kida helped translate. Michi used to
read NIV Bible at night but recently changed to the Japanese Bible. Yesterday
she learned something new from that Bible concerning the teaching of Jesus in
Luke 7:30-32:
But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves,
not having been baptized by John. “To what then shall
I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like?
They are like children who sit in the market
place and call to one another, and they say, 'We played the flute for you,
and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'”
Luke 7:30–32
Michi never thought much about the children in this story, but for the
first time, she could understand and relate to this teaching of Jesus, because
of the Japanese translation. The English and the Japanese translations are not
much different; still she could get the message from Japanese Bible. She was
glad and shared what she learned at church time.
God sent John to prepare people for Jesus. John was calling the people
to repent and be baptized. God wanted people to listen to John and be baptized,
but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's calling, and refused to be
baptized by John.
Now we understand verse 32 to mean God is calling you, but you are not
responding. Thank you, Lord for showing us the meaning of this teaching.
Claus Felbinger, a 16th century Anabaptist Martyr
The apostle Paul tells us that “everyone who
wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Tim
3:12)
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are
persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
(Mt 5:12)
A blessed 16th century Anabaptist believer who was persecuted
and killed by ungodly Christians was a man named Claus Felbinger, a blacksmith
by trade, who went on a missionary trip to Bavaria in 1560 when he was captured
and put in prison where the Catholic authorities tried to make him recant his
Anabaptist beliefs. There he wrote his confession of faith to the authorities
which included these words about false Christians: “A devout soul that fears
God cannot keep silent but speaks and witnesses against their abominable life,
saying they cannot please God, much less become blessed. Whereupon hate is
roused and from that hour they say, "Away with these rogues! They want to
be better than we are: it is not right that they should live!"” They beheaded
him on July 19, 1560, because he remained true to the divine truth.
Jesus said, “If you belonged to the world,
it would love you as its own. But you do not belong to the world because I have
chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hates you.” (John
15:19) “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in
Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
God’s Armor Bearer
Some months ago a Sunday school class here in Tucson studied a book
titled “God’s Armor Bearer” which is used to teach the church members how to
protect, honor and uphold their pastor and to properly serve him and submit to
him. It seeks to establish the concept of a three tier church with the pastor
at the top, like the Pope in the Catholic Church, who has infallible teachings,
a second tier of church leaders, like the Catholic bishops, and then the third
tier, the lay people. This, of course, is not the way that Jesus taught, just
the opposite.
In the early 1980s Don visited the Bruderhof Christian community in
upstate New York several times. He gradually came to realize that the members
there considered their leader to be almost next to God and anyone who did not
accept that were of the wrong spirit.
Thirty years ago a charismatic preacher in California named Jim Jones was
very popular and had a large church. He decided that he was called to start a
Christian community in the jungles of South America and about a thousand members
of his church moved there. They must have been convinced that he was almost
next to God and were to do what he told them. When he told them to drink a
poison drink and lay down and die, about 900 members did that!
Recently we talked with some people who attend a church here in Tucson.
They said that they do have home meetings but the subject discussed is always
the pastor’s Sunday sermon since their pastor is very controlling. They believe
that he is called by God so they do what he says.
This sort of behavior, elevating the pastor above the people, seems to be
not unusual in today’s churches. It feeds the pastor’s ego, builds up his
pride, making him think that he is God’s agent here on earth. The culprits in
this dilemma are usually the secondary leaders in the church. As assistants to
the leader, when he is raised up, they too are raised up, receiving more glory
and honor from the church members.
Jesus taught His people not to elevate anyone, only He is Lord and
Master. See Matthew 23:8-12. He says not to give church leaders titles, for
all are brothers. The Holy Spirit, who Jesus said will teach you everything
(John 14:26), does use people to teach God’s children, certain people are gifted
teachers. But pride and egotism are a danger to teachers, pastors, leaders;
especially when encouraged by their assistant leaders. So beware.
We sing a 16th century Anabaptist song titled “O God, Thou
Mighty Ruler” (Gott, du gewaltiger Herre) which mentions this problem about
shepherds who stray from God’s true path to such an extent that His grace is
turned to wrath.
The True Family of Jesus
The mother and brothers of Jesus came to see
Him, but they were not able to get near Him because of the crowd. Someone told
Jesus, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you."
Jesus replied, "My mother and brothers are
those who hear God's word and put it into practice.”
(Luke 8:19-21)
Claus Felbinger, the 16th century Anabaptist martyr, wrote
about the true family of Jesus: “All true children of God will work zealously
together, not each for his own, and so they support and comfort each other.
Nowhere is a sincere believer happier than in the presence of his brothers and
fellow believers. They show each other love, reverence, and faithfulness and do
good to each other. It is the divine nature of love that makes us feel we are
in our neighbor’s debt and urges us to serve him joyfully wherever we can.
Brothers and sisters refresh each other by sharing the gifts God put into their
hearts for the good of the Body of Christ, His holy church, which is the
gathering of all the believers who have made a common bond in God’s love.
“In God’s House the believers sing one song after another. Each brother
and sister is a challenge to the others to love God, to practice love, and to do
good.
“But community, perfect unity, and separation from the world are to be
found only in the perfect Kingdom of Christ. We know that Christ has called out
all those whom He appointed to have eternal life.
“And God still has such a Church on earth, the gathering of those who live
and work in true community, sharing all blessings of the Spirit and all temporal
goods.” (Claus Felbinger’s writing is in the book titled “Brotherly Community,
The Highest Command of Love”.)
The apostle Peter warns us, “The end of all
things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can
pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude
of sins.” (1 Peter 4:7-8)
We pray that out of His glorious riches the
Lord God may strengthen you, dear friend,
with power through his Spirit in your inner being, with Christ dwelling in your
hearts through faith. (Eph. 3:16-17)
Your Anabaptist brother and sisters in Christ,
Don, Michi and Naomi Murphy
Tucson, Arizona, phone 520-297-1639
www.AnabaptistChurch.org
"This is how we love God - by obeying His commands. And His commands are not
burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory
that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world?
He who honors Jesus as the Son of God." (1 John 5:3-5)
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