ANDERSON CHURCH OF CHRIST
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ANDERSON CHURCH OF CHRIST HOME | BIBLE CLASS | BULLETINS | MINISTER | OUR MEETINGS | PROGRAM | SERMONS |
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Some Things Just Can’t Be Hidden By Carl McMurray Fox News reported last week that a Memphis woman missing for two months has been found. She was reported missing by family members when she failed to pick up her child after school. They went by the Budget motel where she was living and couldn’t find her. When her weekly payment on the room wasn’t made, the motel boxed up her things, cleaned out the room for renting, and locked it up. They didn’t know where she was either. Homicide investigators went by the hotel and investigated. They couldn’t find the woman. In the next two months the room was rented three times to three different parties who couldn’t be expected to know where the woman was. Likewise the cleaning crew who prepared the room for renting each time didn’t know where she was. Finally, however, someone remembered what their mother had told them. At the report of an offensive odor someone looked under the bed. The woman missing for two months was found. What does this mean to us? Well, maybe it means we should try and remember what Mama told us, or it might mean a little more. It may serve as an illustration that certain things can be hidden, for awhile. They can be hidden from family members that care about us. They can be hidden from people we owe debts to and from nosey people who always seem to be asking questions. Truthfully though, rotten things tend to smell after awhile. We can hide things from men, but everything will come out someday. 1 Corinthians 5:4 reads, Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God. Likewise, Romans 2:16 teaches that, ...on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. We can fool the preacher and the elders. We can fool parents and friends. We can fool members of the church where we may worship. Sometimes we get so good at it that we can even fool ourselves. We can fool almost everyone, for awhile. There’s coming a day, however, when the things hidden in darkness will be brought to the light, and the motives and secrets that we hold “hidden” will be exposed. The one and only way to avoid this scenario is to seek God’s forgiveness in repentance and obedience. He has mercy and grace enough for all. His Son’s blood has already been given to pay in advance for our sins. And He wishes to share these blessings with us, the children that he loves. Let’s not forget to regularly check and clean under our hearts and in our mind, while we dust off our consciences. God will bless our efforts. |
