Author: Bryan Gibson

Weekly Bulletin
August 16, 2020

Situation Slaves
by Dan Shipley
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent. Three times he told the Jews, “I find no fault in him” (John 18:38; 19:4, 6). Still, “he delivered Him to them to be crucified” (John 19:16). Why? Because he gave in to the pressure of the moment. He was influenced more by prevailing circumstances than by what he knew was right. Pilate was a slave to the situation.
A similar situation is recorded in John 12. “Among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they be put out of the synagogue” (v. 42). They cared more about pleasing the people around them than pleasing God. They, too, became situation slaves.
Peter was another who relented to peer pressure. This is what he said before he denied Jesus: “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You” (Matthew 26:35). But, just a short time later, when he was warming himself by the enemies’ campfire, he denied Jesus three times. Like Pilate and the rulers in John 12, he was a slave to his situation. And this wasn’t the only time. Peter repeated his mistake at Antioch by refusing to eat with Gentiles in the presence of certain Jews, “fearing those who were of the circumcision” (Galatians 2:12). To make matters worse, he influenced others to do the same: “And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him…” (v.13). Situation slaves seldom serve alone.
Shame on Peter and Pilate and the rulers! Yes, shame on them, but shame on us, too, because we’re just as guilty—whenever we yield to the pressure of the situation; whenever we seek the favor of our peers instead of God; whenever our fear of God is replaced by the fear of man; whenever we conform to the world (Romans 12:1, just to make it easier on ourselves. We don’t have to hear the rooster crow to know that we have denied Christ just as surely as Peter did.
What do we need to do? First, we need to avoid deliberately placing ourselves in compromising and tempting situations. This means mean avoiding such places and people (1 Corinthians 15:33) that we know will put undue pressure on us. The broad way is filled with fallen Christians who thought they could run with the world and walk with Christ at the same time. However, when it is not possible to isolate, we must insulate. We must develop the kind of character that repels every appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22), the kind that yields only to God and His will and not to the pressure of the moment.

A Lesson from the House of Mourning
by Bryan Gibson
So many lessons can be learned when we go to “the house of mourning” (Eccl. 7:1-4), but let’s focus on one in particular in this short article.
One individual touches many lives, and that certainly includes those we might describe as ordinary.
Go to the visitation/funeral and just listen to the comments—especially the ones made by those who had meaningful contact with the deceased. It’s really amazing to hear all the different ways in which these people were impacted.
Now, think about all the people with whom we have meaningful contact—at home, at work, at school, in the various organizations/activities in which we may be involved, in our local church, etc. Of course, whatever influence we may have on these people could very well extend to their circle of influence. It’s really staggering to think about how many people we each can potentially influence.
Bottom line: Lots of folks are depending on us, so let’s not blow it. May we influence these people, not just for good, but for eternity. We can make a difference, and the best way to do that is to simply serve the Lord faithfully. There’s nothing ordinary about folks who lead others to heaven. May we all have the attitude of Paul, who said, “ I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).

Contact Information
	P.O. Box 680872 / Prattville, AL 36067
	(334) 365-5887 / (334) 868-0801
	prattmont@gmail.com / prattmontchurchofchrist.org

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The Prattmont Church of Christ is just what the name suggests, a church that belongs to Christ. We are not a denomination; we are simply a group of Christians trying very hard to practice the teachings of our Head, Jesus Christ. The New Testament offers a complete pattern for what each local church should be like—its organization, its worship, its work, etc. We are committed to following that pattern. We cordially invite you to attend our services. We would also welcome any comments or questions about this bulletin.

TIMES OF SERVICES:
(temporary during pandemic)
Sunday
Worship 9:00 A.M.
Worship 11:00 A.M.
Tuesday:
Bible Study 7:00 P.M.
Wednesday:
Bible Study 7:00 P.M.