The Italian Memorandum

(Judges 16:26; Song of Solomon 8:5; Micah 3:11; John 13:23; 21:20; Hebrews 11:21)

“Learning to lean / learning to lean”

(John Stallings, Learning to Lean, 1977)

We are all learning to lean on the Lord, to some degree and on some level. The Hebrew term, Adonai means, “my Lord.” If ever we’re going to learn to lean on the Lord, it must happen in a personal way. The point is, Adonai is the personal Lord of his people. It is this confidence that enables the believer to say with Psalmist: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name” (Psalm 103:1).

Learning to lean is a life with characteristics:

1. Adonai (“my Lord”) – Deuteronomy 4:35 read: “…that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; there is none other besides him.” This LORD is a personal God, and faith in this God is monotheistic. This is why it is even possible to lean on the Lord— He is God and He personally cares.
2. Jesus is Lord (John 20:28; Philippians 2:11).

3. This Lorship is the faith for all that would become a “Christian” (Acts 22:16).

Jacob, when dying, leaned upon his wooded staff in worship (Hebrews 11:21). Jesus, in dying, leaned upon the wooden tree in agony (1 Peter 2:24). The gospel of Christ encourages all men to lean on the Lord.

– Robert M. Housby

R.S.V.P. – repondez s’il vous plait

(“please answer”)

“… when I called, you did not answer”

(Isaiah 65:12)

The calling of God, and man’s answer to that call, is a great theme of the Bible. Many times throughout the Scriptures, we read of God’s calling out to man: “But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9); “…God called to him out of the bush, Moses, Moses!” (Exodus 3:4); “…even us whom he has called” (Romans 9:24; 8:28,30; 11:29). But, whenever God calls to man, that call contains an R.S.V.P., “please answer.”
It is customary for occasions of formal gatherings, such as a wedding, or a social event–by invitation only–that the recipient of the invitation reply with a decision of attendance or non-attendance of the event. We may refer to this custom as etiquette. This etiquette is a type of ticket, entrance or admissibility. But, in the Bible, the call of God’s is never mere etiquette. The call of God goes beyond human conventions; it enters a sacred domain.

1. The call of God involves God’s expectations for man (see Isaiah 42:6).
2. But, human choice is never abolished (see Isaiah 65:12; 66:4).
3. God’s calling is never mere etiquette, but a momentous privilege (Romans 8:30; Hebrews 3:15).

With every assembly, we have opportunity to RSVP. With every opportunity to serve, to worship, to live, we give answer. What will be your answer today? R.S.V.P. while you can: “Please Answer!”

-Robert M. Housby

“Don’t Stop Now!”

“Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley”

(Genesis 19:17)

The December heavens of 2004 dropped over 10 inches of snow on our City of Roses recently. It was a cold gray afternoon, with temperatures dropping fast. I was enroute to the church building and approaching the south entrance. As I came up the little hill the car began to bog down and slide in the deep snow. I hesitated briefly to reassess my position; the tires began to spin; and I knew that to stop now would surely get me stuck. So, I gunned the engine! The back-end swerved and the engine roared, but we made our way through it.
In the Bible story of the Rescue of Lot (Genesis 19), we may observe that Lot’s wife, “looked back, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26). In the New Testament, it is related that Demas stopped too soon (2 Timothy 4:10). In these examples, and others, certain characteristics seem to appear:

1. Too much hesitation.
2. Too much concern with the cost of going on.
3. Too much concern with leaving the safety of what’s behind.
4. Too little determination to give-it-all for the cause.

Inactive Christians are lingering in the valley. Now, that may not sound too bad. But, this isn’t just any valley (Joel 3:14). All for Christ, and nothing is lost that shall not be restored. Make your way. Make your way right now (John 14:6).
“Don’t stop now!”

-Robert M. Housby

“For the word of God is living and active…”

(Hebrews 4:12)

Books can be stuffy things. But, the Bible is not one of them. Intelligent men for thousands of years have burned the midnight oil to learn of this unseen God, who proposes to guide men from his inspired word (2 Timothy 3:16,17). There is a sequence that lies embedded in the Book; and, that sequence runs from language to relationship.

1. Psalm 119 begins with biblical language —“the law of the LORD” (119:1); “his testimonies” (119:2); “his ways” (119:3); “your precepts” 119:4);“your statutes” (119:5); “your commandments” (119:6); “your righteous rules”(119:7).
2. Psalm 119, however, from that language, always infers the possibility of a relationship with the living Lord:

a. 119:94 – “I am yours”
b. 119:151 – “But you are near; O LORD”
c. 119:114 – “You are my hiding-place”

As we enter 2005, man is confronted again with the great questions and the ultimate realities: ranging from word to worship; and, from language to living : (John 6:63). Can you say, “I am yours in the New Year?” (See Romans 6:4 on “Newness”). Can you verbalize, mobilize, and glorify in Christ?

– Robert M. Housby

“…I know that none of you will see my face again”

(Acts 20:26)

“Parting is such sweet sorrow…”

–Romeo and Juliet, Act II Scene ii

We are challenged by Newness! Paul told the Roman Christians: “…so we also might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). But, in order for there to be such newness, there must be a saying goodbye to what has become so familiar to us. When Paul said goodbye in Acts 20, we are told how his friends reacted: “And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the word which he had spoken, that they should behold his face no more. And they brought him on his way unto the ship” (Acts 20:36-38). The ship of the New Year awaits even us. Of course Paul had to be on that ship. He could have stayed, we suppose, but that would have interfered with the master plan.

1. This Newness challenges us to dynamic, not static, living. The resurrection is the basis of such newness (Rom. 6:3-5)! It is “Westward leading / Still proceeding.” It is emergence from the deadness of the human condition. It is gospel defining and Christian aligning.
2. This Newness trades off instability for permanence and power (Rom. 6:9).
3. With this Newness, comes a life of grace (Rom. 6:13,14).

There’s a ship lies rigged and ready in the harbor. Your name is on the manifest.

-Robert M. Housby

(Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15,16; Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-9)

“Does the Great Commission, as found at the end of the gospels, have legitimate application to members of the Lord’s church today? We were asked this question most recently. What follows is an attempt to demonstrate why we think the Great Commission does have legitimate application to the church today, beyond “the eleven” of Matthew 28:16.

1. The Great Commission is different from the Limited Commission. The Limited Commission is not to “all nations” (Matthew 28:19), but only to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5). So, to begin with, any legitimate application of the Great Commission must concede this essential point of difference.

2. Second, biblical context and biblical content should harmonize. Does Matthew 28:16, with its reference to “the eleven,” negate any other applications beyond the eleven? While careful exegesis cannot allow all specifics to apply indiscriminately (for example, the miraculous element of the Great Commission, Mark 16:17-20, does not have continuity with the church in all ages), nevertheless, when the content of the message exceeds the immediate recipients of the message, there is then a warrant for a broader application [antecedent and application should agree]. Even the Limited Commission had extended applications beyond “the twelve” of Matthew 10:5 (See Luke 10:1 regarding the “seventy”). On harmonizing context and content, take the example of Genesis 12:1-3. Here, Abraham is the only proper grammatical recipient of the message. Nevertheless, it would be improper to suggest that Genesis 12 had no legitimate application to Israel. Why? Simply because the context and content of Genesis 12 extends beyond Abraham.
3. Third, Matthew 28:20 is a mandate to perpetuate apostolic doctrine; and, the most immediate application of 28:20 is 28:19. To say that 28:20 refers to most everything except 28:19 appears problematic. Matthias, for example, was not one of “the eleven” of Matthew 28:16; still, the Great Commission, as stated in Matthew
28:18-20 would compose the very substance of Matthias’ apostolic ministry. And, if we admit a twelfth, what of those whom Matthias taught (see 2 Tim. 2:2; 2 Thess. 2:15)?

We conclude that the Great Commission applies to the church today.

– Robert M. Housby

(As Taken from First John)

“These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you”

(1 John 2:26)

In some theological circles, Satan is denied. But, the New Testament is explicit when it comes to warning Christians of a real threat coming from Satan, “the devil” (1 John 5:19). The fact is, even among God’s people there are those like: “Jezebel” and “Alexander the coppersmith.” These seem to have forgotten the adage, “Do all the good you can, and no harm at all,” if not the Golden Rule itself.

1. This Biblical information is not welcomed by the Devil, for in it, he, “Satan, the devil,” is exposed (Revelation 12:9,17). Not only does the truth of God’s word hurt the devil it also hinders his activity. Such information from the word can counter deception (1 John 2:26).
2. 1 John 3:4-15 indicates that Christians, by sinning, open the threshold for no good–even within the congregation of the Lord’s people. While all men are sinners (Romans 3:23), and that includes the baptized (see 1 John 1:8; 2:1), there is a particular sinfulness which rears its head within the congregation itself.

a. The devil operates through sin (1 John 3:8).
b. Sin sometimes occurs in the church, among brethren (1 John 3:10).
c. Such undesirable brethren are compared to Cain (1 John 3:12).
d. Hateful brethren are murderers, without eternal life (1 John 3:15).
e. Love is the answer (1 John 3:11).

Satan longs for human harbors. Some preaching and teaching is intervention, and some is prevention. May this data serve to identify and isolate the works of darkness within the growing congregation .

-Robert M. Housby

“Now there was in Joppa a disciple named
Tabitha, which translated, means Dorcas.
She was full of good works and acts of charity.”

(Acts 9:36)

Ken Jennings was finally defeated after winning over 70 rounds on the popular television game show, Jeopardy. Jennings won a whopping 2.5 million dollars in 2004. We mention Jenning’s recent celebrity status in conjunction with the life of the early Christian woman Dorcas to express a truth about notoriety.
In a footnote to the biblical text, we are told that “Tabitha” is the Aramaic form of the Greek name “Dorcas”. Tabitha is properly translated, gazelle. The gazelle is a small swift animal found in hot and arid wilderness areas. Arabs have been known to train falcons to swoop down on the gazelle, stunning them, so that hunters may overtake them more easily. There are over sixty different varieties of the gazelle. The Dorcas Gazelle is found in the regions of Syria and Palestine. They may reach speeds of forty-five miles per hour over a distance of six or seven miles (Steven Barabas, The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1967), p. 42).
The Bible says of this Dorcas, “…she became ill and died…” (Acts 9:37). We are still speaking of this woman hundreds of years after her presence. We wonder if the same may be said of Mr. Jennings five-hundred years from now? Often, those whose lives are dedicated to serving Christ and his church do not receive proper recognition. But, they shall one day be more than recompensed (1 Corinthians 15:58). We may never be of celebrity status with earnings exceeding into the millions; nor as endowed intellectually as Ken Jennings. Still,
we may with Tabitha-Gazelle be found on the mountain of eternity, in the service of the Lord our God.

-Robert M. Housby

“And he shall be like a tree planted by the

streams of water, That bringeth forth its
fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth
not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall
prosper. The wicked are not so…”

(Psalm 1:3,4, ASV)

The Cappadocian biblical scholar, Basil, (c. A.D. 329-379), said the Book of
Psalms “foretells coming events; it recalls history; it frames laws for life; it
suggests what must be done; and, in general, it is the common treasury of good
doctrine” (Basil, Homily 10,1,2). As such, we shall make some brief comments
regarding the “tree” of Psalm 1:3 (quoted above).

1. The “tree” is the “blessed” man (See Psalm 1:1).

2. The “tree” is the man who avoids wicked counsel (See Psalm 1:1,2).

3. The “tree” has a reliable resource from which to grow (Psalm 1:3).

4. The “tree” produces its intended fruit (Psalm 1:3).

5. These traits of the “tree” are not common to the wicked (Psalm 1:4).

Christian growth is very much like the tree of Psalm 1: rooted (Colossians 1:23);
raised (Colossians 3:1,2); ruled (Colossians 3:15,17); and, realized (Colossians
1:10). Often, we put up excuses for our own lack of growth; blame others; shift
responsibility away from ourselves; and find others who are like-minded (hell).
Instead, we should be striving to be the tree of Psalm 1.

– Robert M. Housby

“And we know that the Son of God
has come, and has given us understanding…”

(1 John 5:20)

There is a major difference between the lifestyle and world view of Christians and the way of the world (1 John 2:15-17). This difference may be expressed in terms of the difference between “happy” and “blessed”. The “understanding” spoken of in 1 John 5:20 allows us to do this comparative study.

1. Happy appears to have more in common with circumstances; whereas, blessed is primarily a spiritual matter arising from one’s relationship with God. A relationship with God is never merely circumstantial, or arbitrary. It is the sense of constant communion which enables the worshipper to be able to count on God, as it were, even when the shifting sands of circumstances may dishevel one’s life (1 John 4:13).

2. Happy is essentially about one’s feelings. Blessed, on the other hand, is based on the promise of God, via the word of God (1 John 2:25).

3. Happy seems to be limited to the here and now, while blessed is about forever (1 John 3:2). Blessed involves a process of both now and later, and of both being and becoming.

4. Happiness is usually evaluated in terms of a human perspective. Contrarily, blessedness is derived from God’s point of view (1 John 2:16,17).

Chistians may be both blessed and happy. But, to be blessed is most important. Do you have this kind of life? Circumstances come and go; but choices abide.

– Robert M. Housby