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For whenever
you eat this bread
and drink this cup,
you proclaim
the Lord’s death
until he comes.
1 Corinthians 11:26
www.BornToWin.net
Making
Life
Work
Reality and
the Apologist
Years ago, a friend told me that I web of our own arguments into the
was an apologist. I would have been reality—from Christian apologetics
flattered…if I’d known what that into Christ Himself.”
meant. Later I encountered one of the I think there are people who will
greatest of Christian apologists, C. S. be profoundly surprised to find me
Lewis. Then I came across a quotation standing next to them on the sea
from Lewis that explained a vague of glass, before the Lamb of God in
disquiet that follows me around. the resurrection. In fact, I might be
“Apologists”, he concluded, “can be as surprised as they are. Imagine
saved only by falling back continually that you have made it, you’ve
from the web of our own arguments been raised from the dead. You’re
into the reality—from Christian standing before him, the judge of all
apologetics into Christ Himself.” the earth, you can see him as he is;
Lewis was remarkable in this and standing alongside you are two
regard. He was an intelligent, highly- figures you recognize immediately
educated, well-read man who also who come from different religious
had the good sense to doubt himself, backgrounds: Billy Graham and
to examine himself—which one Pope John Paul II. If you know much
cannot do without self-doubt. Lewis about Catholic and Baptist doctrine,
understood the spiritual dangers of you have to ask yourself, “How can
vanity and what a thin web is woven that be possible?”
by a good argument. He said, “No I think I finally understand. They
doctrine is dimmer to the eye of will not owe their presence there to
faith than that which a man has just the fact that they had a correct set
successfully defended.” Doctrine and of doctrines. They will not be there
apologetics are essential, otherwise because they kept this or that law,
you would never know where you or this rite or ritual. But, you won’t
are or what you should do next. be there for that reason either. What
But there is also a temptation to makes it possible for you or anyone
vanity. This was never clearer to me else to stand before God is the grace
than when I read that quotation: of God. And that grace, if it can’t
“Apologists can be saved only by transcend our doctrinal differences
falling back continually from the and our picky little arguments, doesn’t
amount to much. And what makes
2) Christian Educational Ministries • March 2022
that grace possible is Christ himself. does truth comes to the light, that his
There is this incident in the deeds may be made manifest, that they
ministry of Jesus Christ where one are worked in God” (John 3:17–21).
of the rulers of the Jews named What makes all the difference? It’s
Nicodemus came to him by night. their deeds. It is what they actually
After some conversation, Jesus told do. If you say you believe in Christ
him, “No man has ascended up to and don’t do anything, then you do
heaven, but he that came down from not really believe. Many religious
heaven, even the Son of man which in arguments about doctrine, law, or
in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the what have you are mere spiders’ webs.
serpent in the wilderness, even so the And you know how you handle a
Son of man must be lifted up” so that spider’s web on the porch? You take a
we can look to him (John 3:14–15). broom and brush it away. Remember,
Remember that Old Testament “Apologists can be saved only by
story [Num. 21]? A plague had falling back continually from the
broken out. Serpents were biting web of our own arguments into the
people. People were dying. God told reality—from Christian apologetics
Moses to put a brazen serpent up into Christ Himself.” What exactly
on a pole, and if they looked up to does that mean?
that serpent, they lived. If not, they The reality is there was a young
died. It had nothing to do with their Jewish girl in a little town called
character, personality, whether they Nazareth who was suddenly visited
were obedient or disobedient. They by an angel named Gabriel. He was
had to look to the serpent that had real. The girl’s name? Mary. She was
been lifted up. real. “And the angel came to her,
Then Jesus said to Nicodemus, “For and said, ‘Hail, you that are highly
God so loved the world, that he gave favored, the Lord is with you: blessed
his only begotten Son, that whosoever are you among women.’ And when
believeth in him should not perish, but she saw him, she was troubled at his
have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Now, saying… And the angel said to her,
that’s a tremendous promise, but there ‘Fear not, Mary: for you have found
is a catch in it: You must believe in him. favor with God’” (Luke 1:28–30).
You must look to him. You must place Mary, young as she was, must have
trust in him. “For God sent not his Son understood the significance of what
into the world to condemn the world; he just said.
but that the world through him might He is telling Mary that she is going
be saved. He that believes on him is not to be the mother of the Messiah. Her
condemned: but he that believes not son is going to sit on the throne of
is condemned already, because he has David, he’s going to reign over the
not believed in the name of the only house of Jacob, of the increase of his
begotten Son of God. And this is the kingdom there will be no end. Mary
condemnation…” This is something put two and two together and asked,
else that Jesus tacks on the end of this “Well, how can this be?”
that sometimes people don’t get. He It’s hard to imagine how she
said, “And this is the condemnation, might have felt at that time—a babe
that light is come into the world, and growing in her womb, a real child,
men loved darkness rather than light”. to be born nine months later. Day by
Why? “…because their deeds were evil. day, week by week, she went through
For every one that does evil hates the the real symptoms of pregnancy: the
light, neither comes to the light, lest his cessation of her monthly period, her
deeds should be reproved. But he that
BornToWin.net (3
abdomen beginning to swell, the home to me. The reality of giving up
realization that there was a baby on a son has to be considered.
the way. And, of course, there was the I hadn’t really thought much
very real problem that her betrothed about it until I saw the movie The
husband had: the baby wasn’t his. But Bible with George C. Scott (who
he was a just man, so when the angel played Abraham). He was told by
explained it to him all was well. God to take his only son, Isaac, and
The story picks up again in Luke 2, go to a place that God would show
where “Joseph went up from Galilee, him and offer Isaac there for a burnt
out of the city of Nazareth into Judea offering. I had read the story in the
in the city of David, which is called Bible, I understood it fully, but Scott’s
Bethlehem.” He went there to be portrayal of Abraham’s agony and
taxed along with Mary, his espoused his faith brought it home to me. This
wife, who was, in Luke’s expression was real. It was sort of a two-staged
“great with child”. thing. First of all, the actor plays the
They went to a stable because it part, which made it real; and then
was the only place they could find. secondly, the realization that what he
Now, get the reality: there are many is acting out is something that really
things that can be explained about happened to real people in real time.
this, but the reality is they went into The world waited 30 years for this
a stable—the only place they could child to become a man, and three
sleep—and while there she went into years more for him to accomplish
labor and “brought forth her first- what he came to do. On that night
born son, wrapped him in swaddling before his death three years later,
clothes, and laid him in a feeding knowing full well what waited for him
trough”. That’s all they had. the next day, he got up from supper,
The child born there was as real laid aside his garment, girded himself
as you and me. He was as real as any with a towel and began to wash his
baby anyone ever held. He was as real disciples’ feet. It was a familiar thing
as any baby any mother ever put to her to have happen at any supper—but
breast, and he had to drink mother’s usually it was done by servants. For
milk just like I did. The reality of Peter on this night, it was a very real
Jesus’ statement to Nicodemus comes thing that Jesus was actually holding
Peter’s feet in his hands. Jesus took
water and splashed it on Peter’s feet,
he rubbed his feet, cleaning them, he
More From put the water between his toes and
Ron Dart opened them up to rinse out whatever
might have been there. Then he took
the towel he was girded with, and the
The following titles are available to real Jesus dried Peter’s feet. For Peter
you for free in the formats listed: this could not have been more real.
After Jesus had washed their feet
The Lamb That Was Slain and put his garment back on and sat
The Christian Passover down, he said, “Do you know what
I’ve done? You call me Master and
Easter or Passover? Lord, and you say well; for so I am.
The Bread of Humility If I then, your Lord and Master, have
washed your feet; you ought to wash
Available Formats one another’s feet. For I have given
-Audio -Video -Print you an example, that you should do as
I have done to you. What I want you
Scan the CODE to learn from this is that the servant
is not greater than his lord; neither
or CALL is he that is sent greater than he that
1-888-BIBLE-44 sent him. If you know these things,
To Claim Your happy are you if you do them.” Some
FREE Gifts & Christian churches do this. They
Subscribe to the wash one another’s feet; because after
Monthly Newsletter all, Jesus said, “if you know these
things, happy are you—blessed are was for a few hours yet.
you—if you do them.” You know, if you had been able
After supper, he took bread, he to embrace Jesus—to put your arms
broke it, and distributed it among around him, to give him a hug—your
them and told them to eat it. He said, arms would have been around a real
“This is my body, which is for you. man. Your hands would have been on
Do this in remembrance of me.” To the back that was given to the smiters;
T
tell the truth, I think the whiskers that
a lot of us partake of
the symbols of Christ’s his was brushed your cheek
would have been those
body and blood as
mere recipients of God’s
the real that others would later
that night pluck out.
grace. But there is Son of God, And the real Jesus
more. We have entered
into a new relationship. suffering real would cry out from
the cross, “My God,
We have a family we
didn’t have before, a pain, and my God, why have you
forsaken me?” Why?
brother that we never
had, and we have all
real death, in Why did that have to
happen? He had to be
the obligations of
family. Why? Because
our place. tempted in all points
like we are [Heb. 4:15],
we have partaken of this cup of and which of us has not felt at times
the new covenant in his blood. A like God has gone away completely?
covenant isn’t a one-way street. It isn’t The blood that gushed out when the
just something handed down. It is soldier pierced his side was real.
something we enter into voluntarily. The disciples had three days to deal
The entry into the new covenant with that, then an even greater reality
is not a passive event for us. We descended on them: they came face
partake of Christ’s body and blood, to face with the risen Christ. They
having examined ourselves, and touched him. Thomas, who had not
we go away from the Passover to been there at the time, didn’t even
walk in a different way as brothers believe it. It was unreal to him. The
of Jesus Christ. The disciples knew next time Jesus appeared, he said,
what a covenant meant and that there “Thomas, come here, put your finger
were obligations that came with it. in this wound in my hand. Stick your
Somehow that truth gets away from hand in my side. It’s real.” He was
us. Let’s take a moment to fall back alive, he was real. And then they all
into reality, away from arguments stood there and watched him ascend
and into Christ. into heaven. As unreal as that may
After all the events of this Last have seemed to all of them, it was real
Supper, Jesus then sat and talked enough. And know this: there was not
with his disciples for a while. He a web of arguments about the Lord’s
said, “A new commandment I give to Supper or the Passover, nor about
you, That you love one another; as I “three days and three nights”. This
have loved you, that you also love one was the real Son of God, suffering real
another. By this shall all men know pain, and real death…in our place. It
that you are my disciples, if you have is far past time for us to learn to stand
love one to another.” Remember I in awe of the reality of Christ himself,
said that if you enter into a covenant not of our arguments about Christ.
you take on certain obligations? Now, don’t get me wrong. I believe
What follows here in John 14:14 are what I say, I believe what I teach; but
the obligations: “if you shall ask any I have come to see that what I teach
thing in my name, I will do it. If you is not “real”. It is a web of arguments
love me, keep my commandments.” that may be true enough, but they are
Did you catch this? Notice the two- only a shadow of the body of Christ.
directional aspect of it: if you ask I’ll continue to argue for what is right,
anything, I’ll do it. But here’s what but I hope I will increasingly fall back
comes behind it: If I ask anything, from the web of my own arguments
you’ve got to do it. The disciples into Christ himself.
would not understand how real this
BornToWin.net (5
Why Wash Feet?
by Blake Silverstein
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Comments From
Our Listeners
Yvette Jonathan G.
Benin USA
I was looking for “good” Christian My family and I wanted to say
music, when I stumbled onto that the app and podcasts you
your radio, Ne pour triompher and your group have set up are
(Born to Win) here in Allada, amazing. The app is something
Benin. I listened to the teachings we use constantly, and frankly it
about Christian holidays #1–#10 is one of the best Bible/sermon
and other Biblical truths and combinations I have used, and
the Holy Sabbath. I was fed up I have used A LOT of scripture
of attending ceremonial church apps, as you know they are
services for the past 8 years until legion.
your sound Biblical teachings
woke me up again. Thank you for
bringing back the Bible alive into If you would like to share a
my heart. Since then I have never comment, please let us know,
for one day missed listening. we want to hear from you!
Yours in Christ…
Now!
BornToWin.net
The 2022 Plan
Reading, Writing, and Responding
Our focus this year is to finish the New Testament. We started in Acts, will
move through Paul’s writings, and finish in Revelation. We encourage you to
read the daily assignment, handwrite the verses, then respond with prayer,
meditation, contemplation, and life application.
Apr 1 Acts 27:1–11 Apr 16 Romans 3:21–31
Apr 2 Acts 27:12–22 Apr 17 Romans 4:1–12
Apr 3 Acts 27:23–33 Apr 18 Romans 4:13–25
Apr 4 Acts 27:34–44 Apr 19 Romans 5:1–11
Apr 5 Acts 28:1–10 Apr 20 Romans 5:12–21
Apr 6 Acts 28:11–22 Apr 21 Romans 6:1–11
Apr 7 Acts 28:23–31 Apr 22 Romans 6:12–23
Apr 8 Romans 1:1–12 Apr 23 Romans 7:1–12
Apr 9 Romans 1:13–23 Apr 24 Romans 7:13–25
Apr 1 0 Romans 1:24–32 Apr 25 Romans 8:1–10
Apr 11 Romans 2:1–11 Apr 26 Romans 8:11–21
Apr 12 Romans 2:12–21 Apr 27 Romans 8:22–30
Apr 13 Romans 2:22–29 Apr 28 Romans 8:31–39
Apr 14 Romans 3:1–9 Apr 29 Romans 9:1–12
Apr 15 Romans 3:10–20 Apr 30 Romans 9:13–24
If you are interested in our Bible-in-a-Year Reading Plan, visit the link below.
www.borntowin.net/bible-reading-plan
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Radio
Broadcast Christian Educational Ministries
Whitehouse, TX 75791
P.O. Box 560
April Schedule
1st–3rd.....................True Fellowship 18th................Closer to Christ [Part 1]