The Hillsboro Christian

THE HILLSBORO CHRISTIAN VOLUME 61 - JULY 2021

website: hillsborochurch.net

In This Issue of The Christian Have you ever noticed that one of the first words a child learns to speak is, “No!”? Why is that, I wonder? I’ve thought about that a good bit. It could be that it is easy to say, and it is. It could be that they hear it a lot, and they do. It could also be that rebellion and self-will are wrapped up in the heart of a child, and they are.

Obedience is a difficult lesson to learn for a number of reasons: insecurity, lack of trust, misunderstanding, or outright rebellion. But trust lived out in fearless obedience is exactly what Jesus demands of us.

“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?”

(Luke 6:46—NLT) “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Luke 9:23).

In this issue of The Christian we will explore the issue of Fearless Obedience, the 2nd of our core values at HCC. As much as we may struggle with fearless obedience, this ought to be the deep longing of every committed disciple and a spiritual discipline we relentlessly pursue.

Our lead article in this issue is by Tom Claibourne. Tom grew up in Hillsboro and in this church.

He has, for over 40 years, been a faithful servant of Christ and minister of the Gospel. He has also, for more years than that, been a dear friend. His example in ministry and life is an inspiration and a challenge to me. I trust that what he shares here will be an encouragement to you as well.

You will also find articles from Adam & Micah along with other information, including upcoming events. Mark your calendars now for our Summer in the Son weekend at Restoration Acres. It will be a weekend you will not want to miss!

Another item that is a little out of the ordinary is an email letter I received from Alistair Begg, the preaching pastor of Parkside Church in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. His challenge Brave by Faith is timely and an urgent reminder for each of us.

Be strong. Be faithful. Be obedient.

Your Brother and Friend,

Jim

Back in the days when it was safer for children to roam the streets of small towns, a little boy was riding his tricycle furiously around the block, over and over. Finally, a policeman stopped and asked him why he was going around and around. The boy explained that he was running away from home. When asked why he kept going around the block, the boy responded, “Because my mom said that I’m not allowed to cross the street.”

His unwavering obedience kept him from straying too far from home. Our obedience to God does much the same for us.

Two of the core values of the Hillsboro Church of Christ are Biblical authority and fearless obedience. The first should always lead to the second. Obedience to God has always been central to Christian discipleship. Fearless obedience implies pressure to do otherwise. Increasingly, as America slides further into moral decay, our adherence to Biblical authority clashes with an intrusive, secular culture, and our fearless obedience becomes essential.

When we love and trust God, we answer His call, despite our fear. When we love and trust God, we say “no” to temptation, no matter what others do or say.

When we love and trust God, we live counter to our pagan culture, despite the pressure to conform.

Full disclosure: I have not always handled fear well, but I will be forever grateful for the role HCC played in helping me develop my faith and more fearless obedience. I was a shy church kid who was once terrified to walk onto the stage with my Sunday School classmates to simply speak my name into a microphone (No kidding; just my name!). My terror at speaking in front of people continued throughout my youth, and into early adulthood.

Fortunately, when I was a young teen, a wise youth minister (Bob Cherry) informed me one day that I would lead the devotion for a teen prayer breakfast the following week. I reluctantly complied, and grew from the experience.

Two years later, as preparations were

made for our teen youth group to lead an entire evening church service, the minister (Taylor Jefferson) made clear to me that I would preach the sermon.

When the night came, I managed to race through a 14-minute message in about 8 minutes, talking faster than an auctioneer on steroids.

Public speaking has not come naturally for me. Yet as a teen I still felt the prompting of the Lord toward ministry.

During my first year in Bible college I was recruited (by professor and HCC Music Minister, Byron Cartwright) to be part of a traveling quartet, which meant singing and speaking in front of lots of different congregations.

Month after month I nervously presented my one and only sermon (from I Corinthians 9:24-27, because it talked about running a race, a subject I was comfortable with as a former HHS runner).

At some point during my ministry training years I developed a special connection with Moses as I read about his fearful reluctance to answer God’s call, partly out of an insecurity about his speaking ability (Exodus 3:10). Then as I followed his amazing life journey through the book of Exodus and beyond, it finally sunk in that God might be able to somehow use me in his mission, too.

At age 19 I was challenged to serve the first of two summers with a mission that made frequent trips behind the Iron Curtain into Eastern Europe, which was then still firmly under the oppressive rule of

communist regimes. In six different nations I met strong believers who helped shape my life and develop my faith. I witnessed courage in the midst of persecution; contentment in the midst of hardship; joy in the midst of suffering; generosity in the midst of poverty; and faithfulness in the face of opposition. Such fearless obedience inspired and challenged me. In more than 25 border crossings I saw how God could not only remove any imposing barrier, but also that he could calm any fearful heart with a peace beyond human understanding (Phil. 4:6-7).

The greatest lesson in trust came as a result of our personal helplessness during each border crossing as we transported forbidden Christian materials. We prepared and packed carefully, and prayed fervently, but once we drove up to a check point with its gates, guard dogs, and armed border agents, we simply had to trust in God, instead of any clever actions on our part.

As guards rifled through our luggage, examined our vehicle, forced us to wait lengthy periods of time, and questioned us suspiciously, we could only stand by and watch God work, just as Moses called the people of God to do as they seemed trapped between a pursuing army and the Red Sea (Exodus 14:13-14).

Many times in the years since then, God has brought back those memories for me as I have prepared to speak in an intimidating setting, or initiate an

uncomfortable conversation, or share a Bible truth with a skeptic, or walk into a home where a tragedy had just occurred, or simply do the right thing when faced with temptation.

We truly can trust God with our career, our family, our crises, and our soul. We can trust him as we learn to face our fears head on. We can trust him to shine the brightest in our times of suffering and helplessness.

In response, we can demonstrate our trust in Him through our fearless obedience. As “soft totalitarianism” increasingly encroaches upon American society, undermining Jesus’ church and defying the authority of the Lord God, we must stand firm. We must not waver. We must not conform. We must embolden each other through fearless obedience.

Nate Saint, missionary martyr to Ecuador, once said, “Obedience is not a momentary option. It is a die-cast decision made beforehand.” Let’s decide today to fearlessly obey the Lord God, no matter what it may cost us.

About the Author

Tom Claibourne grew up in Hillsboro, often playing in a woods where Ponderosa restaurant now sits.

Since escaping that woods, he has travelled to 5 continents and once visited 4 countries in 75 minutes. He has preached and led seminars in several states and been on many mission trips, but has spent his entire preaching ministry (42 years) serving with the Bethlehem Church of Christ, near Winchester.

He is husband to Linnea, dad to 2 married daughters and 1 son, and “Pops” to 1 grandson. Tom has published more than 300 articles, columns and guest editorials and contributed chapters for two books on ministry.

Occasionally he returns to Ponderosa to overindulge and to reflect on a life of blessings that began in Hillsboro.

Tom was an active member of HCC throughout his youth and is considered by the leadership of HCC as a Timothy (minister/servant who came out of) this congregation.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY In the month of June we were thrilled to baptize into Christ and welcome to the family three precious souls surrendered in obedience and love to the Lordship of Christ.

Maddy Amos has been with us a number of years, from the time she was a young girl. She has grown exponentially in stature, both physical and spiritual, during that time. Her love and passion for Christ have taken deep root and blossomed into new life. On June 6 Maddy was immersed into Christ. Much like the Ethiopian Eunuch, she was filled with great joy.

On June 12, Pete Hollon confessed Christ boldly in front of family and friends and was immersed into Christ. It was an emotional time as Pete and his family shared an intimate time of worship together and as this dear brother shared his heart and his joy in a beautiful act of faithful and fearless obedience.

The month was capped off with Tim Davis baptizing his daughter Tylee Davis into Christ.

There is no greater thrill for a Christian parent than the privilege of baptizing one of your own children in the Lord; to physically participate in fully giving and entrusting your child to the Lordship of Christ.

This is clearly an occasion for rejoicing, both here and in heaven. Join us in welcoming Maddy, Pete and Tylee to the family and praying for their continued faithfulness and growth in Christ.

If baptism is a step of surrender and obedience you need to take, we would love to have the opportunity to share with you further about this important matter. Give us a call or reach out through the “Next Step” on our website: hillsborochurch.net/nextsteps.

9

Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid;

do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

Statue of Liberty A Symbol … More The cross marks the place in time and space when humanity was truly set free.

As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Galatians 6:14 TLB

A gift like no other, it has become the ultimate symbol around the world for freedom and democracy. Erected in New York Harbor and dedicated in October 1886, the Statute of Liberty was a gift of friendship from the people of France.1

In 1865 a group of dedicated Frenchmen shared a desire to create a republican government modeled on America’s Constitution. One of the men in attendance called the nations “two sisters.”

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the people

As 1776 dawned, Thomas Paine published Common Sense in which he wrote “The cause of America is in a great measure, the cause of all of mankind.”

His words had a remarkable resonance.

“Its effects were sudden and extensive upon the American mind,” the patriotphysician Benjamin Rush recalled.

In Philadelphia’s Carpenter’s Hall, as the Declaration of Independence was to be adopted, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, “Yesterday (July 2) the greatest question was decided which ever was debated in America; and a greater perhaps never was, or will be, decided among men.”

That document declared, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness.” 2 In New York Harbor stands a lady With a torch raised to the sky.

And all who see her know she stands for Liberty for you and I.3

of France gave the United States a great monument as a lasting memorial to independence and thereby showed that the French government was also dedicated to the idea of human liberty.”

In 1871, armed with a vague idea of what he would create, the sculptor, Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi sailed for America. As the American shores finally came into view, he was overwhelmed, and his eyes filled with tears when the ship made its way into New York Harbor.

As he traveled the eastern coast of America, he quickly became even more convinced that it was his calling to give this free land a monument to the liberty that each citizen held so dear. He spent his spare hours sketching his vision of what that gift should be.

To those who live apart from Christ, the cross is a religious icon or decorative emblem. But for those who have experienced its mighty transformational power, the cross is more like a shining torch lifted high on a dark night, welcoming them to safety. 5

Upon his return to France, the two nations began a campaign to raise private donations to support the construction of Bartholdi’s vision of liberty. AlexandreGustave Eiffel, who later built the Eiffel Tower, was commissioned to construct the statue’s frame.

Delayed by the Franco-Prussian War and a financial depression in America, in 1885 the statue was shipped to America to begin the year-long construction in the teeming American metropolis.

Oh the cross is my Statute of Liberty; It was there that my soul was set free.

Unashamed I’ll proclaim that a rugged cross Is my Statue of Liberty. 6

Finally, in 1886, accompanied by a “ticker tape” parade, Barthodli pulled the cord on the huge cloth that draped the statue, Lady Liberty’s gleaming copper face unveiled to the world.1 From that day forward, Lady Liberty stood greeting all who came to visit or emigrate to the United States. To Americans as well as those who hoped to someday become citizens, this great state represented freedom.

_________________________________ 1 Seeing

God in America: Devotions from 100 Favorite Places Thomas Nelson Publishing 2015 (excerpted from) 2 Songs of America, Jon Meachem & Tim McGraw Ramdon House 2019 (excerpted from) 3 Statue of Liberty Neil Enloe 1974 4 Enloe, op.cit 5 Stories Behind the Hymns That Inspired America Ace Col lins Zonervan 2003 (excerpted from) 6 Enloe, op.cit

Submitted by Jim Williams

On lonely Golgotha stood a cross With my Lord raised to the sky.

And all who kneel there live forever, As all the saved can testify. 4 It is the same with the cross of Jesus Christ. Across the world, it is an easily recognizable symbol of Christianity. In reality, however, it is a real and powerful navigational tool that has guided untold millions out of darkness, superstition, selfishness, addiction, and despair, bringing them into relationship with their Creator.

Jim is a Sunday School teacher here at Hillsboro Church of Christ and also serves as our treasurer.

Intercessory

Prayer

requests

Health and Other: Sue Bryan Molly Chapol Denver Conley Jim Cook Ohio Mission Bible Training Center Janet Pence Wayne Wiedenbein

Shut Ins: Barbara Boris Jewel Calmes Marvin Gotherman John Porter Angela Ruble Carol Setty Ruby Wallingford

Cancer: Jeffery Aurigema Zack Baker Luke Bihl Kari Crafton Bob Fisher Diann Hensley Judy Roush Mark Sears

07-01-2021

Family Loss: Mabel McGraw’s family

Missions: The Brittons, The Millers, The Newmans,

HCC Leadership: Steve Allen Jim Bush Roger Epley Dan Fauber Mike Labig Richard VanZant

Military: Tyler & Cindy Amos Chad Blankenship Justin Brandt Ryan Burns Mark Conover Thadeus Conover Corey Hughes Kyle Kessinger Taylor Sweeney

Average attendance for the month of June was 347 Giving for the month of June was $41,132.00

BRAVE BY FAITH The following is a portion of a letter (printed with permission) by Alistair Begg, preaching pastor of Parkside Church in Chagrin Falls, Ohio whose sermons can be heard and resources found at www.truthforlife.org.

___________________________ It is long past time for those of us who by grace through faith have trusted in Christ to acknowledge that we are “sojourners and exiles” (1 Pet. 2:11) living in a secular culture. At the same time, we face the fact that we are involved in a continual and irreconcilable spiritual war against the Evil One. Ironically, just as we become increasingly aware of these challenges, it is no longer fashionable to sing hymns about “Christian soldiers marching as to war.” What has happened? Are we to excuse cowardice by calling it humility?

G. K. Chesterton pointed out that it is a mistake to suppose that humility excludes conviction: “A man was meant to be doubtful about himself, but undoubting about the truth; this has been exactly reversed.” Daniel could never have been held guilty of such an approach. He and his friends provide a challenging and encouraging picture of what it means to be brave by faith. In the early chapters of Acts, the authorities were struck by the boldness of the apostles, who, despite opposition, prayed that they might “continue to speak your [the Lord’s] word with all boldness.” That means to be candid and clear and confident. The apostles combined conviction about the truth with compassion for the lost. And so must we.

Church history records the impact for truth that was made by men and women who engaged with the culture by proclaiming truth and exposing and refuting error, often at great personal cost. In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, William Wilberforce was an instrument in God’s hand to bring about a social, political, and spiritual change in Great Britain. In 1797 he wrote: The only solid hopes for the well-being of our country depend not so much on her fleets and armies, not so much on the wisdom of her rulers, or the spirit of her people, as on the persuasion that she still contains many, who, in a degenerate age, love and obey the gospel of Christ.

This is in keeping with Paul’s exhortation to God’s people in Ephesus to pray at all times in the Spirit with all prayer and supplication. Let’s encourage one another to heed this call and to pray specifically for our children and our grandchildren that they may be

enabled to take their stand against the schemes of the devil. Let’s ask our heavenly Father to preserve us so that we may proclaim His might to another generation, His power to all those to come.

I am keenly aware of the fact that “maturity” has its challenges. I do not aspire to become like Statler or Waldorf, the elderly Muppet characters known for their cantankerous opinions offered from their box in the balcony. Instead, our desire should be to be increasingly conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus. Graham Kendrick helps me to sing:

Teach me to love with Your heart of compassion, Teach me to trust in the word of Your promise, Teach me to hope in the day of Your coming, Teach me to dance to the beat of Your heart.

With my love in the Lord Jesus,

Alistair Begg

Monthly meeting for Ministry Team Leaders July 11 and July 25 12:00—2:00

We will be nailing down final details for Summer in the Son

COMMUNICATE

FIA will have a meeting Thursday, July 8th at 6:30 pm in the Connection Café. Any woman interested in joining this ministry is welcome to attend.

There will be a meeting for anyone interested in helping with Backpack Club this year.

The meeting will be Sunday, July 18th, after 2nd worship service in the Old Fellowship Hall. Lunch will be served.

Family Camp is back this year!!

Person to Person Ministries will have their Family Camp July 26-29 at Restoration Acres, 5845 S.R. 124, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Go to Family Camp (p2pm.org) to learn more or to reserve a campsite.

AUGUST 6-7-8 Summer in the Son is back!

We will hold our 2nd Annual Summer in the Son event at Restoration Acres, 5845 SR 124, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133.

This event is open to the public! Come join us! We have a lot of fun activities planned for the weekend.

A few of those are: homemade ice-cream, bingo, water balloon games, horse rides, bouncy houses, Art for the Heart, and evening vespers around a campfire.

Art for the Heart is a painting party where an instructor gives you step by step instructions how to paint the selected picture. Anyone can do it - no experience required!

We are asking anyone who would like to try this event to please register online at hillsborochurch.net/events. There is a $20.00 fee for this event to cover the cost of the supplies which can also be paid online when you register. Just look for the round blue circle that says “Give” and select the option “Art for the Heart”. This must be paid by Friday, July 23rd.

Once again camping is available at Summer in the Son! Lots are available (with or without electric) for tents, pull behind, RV’s or Fifth Wheel campers.

Please register for a camping spot at: hillsborochurch.net/camping Restoration Acres has graciously allowed us to use their facilities free of charge but we are asking if you would consider a donation of $20.00 to be given to them. If you would like to make a donation, you can do so through our round blue “Give” button in the bottom corner of the registration page and select the option “Camping donation”.

COME JOIN US! OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Join Us at the Hillsboro Farmer’s Market Saturday, July 17 The Hillsboro Church of Christ Band will be playing The Hillsboro Farmer’s Market is open every Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. It is located at 108 Governor Trimble Place, Hillsboro, Ohio, 45133.

Hillsboro Church of Christ has been asked to help with the Farmer’s Market on Saturday July, 17th.

The HCC Band will be playing and we will have a table set up with activities for the kids.

Come out and join us for some fun and some shopping!

If you would like to help with set-up, tear-down, family games, etc. please sign up to help on our website hillsborochurch.net/events.

FROM THE ARCHIVES . . .

JOE NOBODY “Have you studied Voltaire, Thomas Paine, Robert Ingersoll, or any of those fellows?” asked a friend of a Christian [who was also] captain of a steamship.

“No,” replied the captain.

“Well, you should. You can’t fairly turn down their argument until you have thoroughly investigated for yourself,” argued the captain’s boyhood friend.

“I’ve been captain of this ship for a long time, John,” returned the captain. “The chart that was given me early in my career pointed out the deep water that would carry the ship safely into port. As a young captain, I never considered it advisable to investigate the rocks. The experience I’ve known other chaps to have with the rocks has been sufficient warning for me. So, the Bible that I learned at my mother’s knee in the old Sunday School, and from my pastor, is my chart for the sea of life.” _____________________________ Copied from The Hillsboro Christian (August 17, 1967) * Fearless obedience demands that we listen carefully to only the voice of the Master. The picture above hung in my bedroom from the time I (Jim Bush) was a boy till I left home for Bible College. It’s message stays with me to this day.

“I assure you: Anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The doorkeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice.

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.4 When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.5 They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t recognize the voice of strangers.” ~John 10:1-5 (HCS)

Life Line Screening, the nation’s leading provider of preventive health screenings, will offer affordable, non-invasive and painless health screenings at Hillsboro Church of Christ on Wednesday, August 11, 2021.

A package of five screenings to identify risk for stroke, heart disease and other chronic conditions will be offered:

•

Carotid artery ultrasound to identify plaque buildup in the carotid arteries, a major risk factor for stroke

•

Abdominal aortic aneurysm ultrasound to identify presence of an enlargement in the largest blood vessel in the body

•

An EKG to identify the presence of atrial fibrillation, which increases the risk for stroke

•

Ultrasound of the lower legs to look for plaque buildup known as peripheral artery disease

•

Ultrasound of the shin bone to identify risk for osteoporosis

These 5 vital screenings are offered for only $149 and take 60-90 minutes to complete.

Three ways to register: Call toll free 1-888-653-6441 Text the word "circle" to 797979 Online: www.lifelinescreening.com/communitycircle

LITTLE LAMB CHRISTIAN PRESCHOOL

SATURDAY, JULY 3RD 9:00 AM TO 3:00 PM

RAIN WILL CANCEL SALE

P2P WORK DAYS

Person to Person Ministries at Restoration Acres will have work days July 19-23 doing general maintenance and cleaning for Family Camp. If you are able to help in any way, please give them a call at 937-840-9071, I am sure they would appreciate the help!

The Battle Belongs to the Lord I’ve spent the last few months studying about mighty faith warriors in scripture who fought their battles through worship in various moments throughout the Old Testament. Several men have especially stood out including Joshua, Elijah, King David and King Josiah. There is one who has a particularly fascinating narrative about choosing to trust and worship in the face of overwhelming odds. I want us to look at a moment in the life of King Jehoshaphat.

In 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat, the king of the southern kingdom of Judah, is confronted with the armies of three surrounding nations who are preparing to invade and destroy his kingdom. Jehoshaphat has a fascinating response. Rather than gathering his own massive army and getting help from his allies among surrounding kingdoms, this king gathers together all his people and humbles himself in prayer. He cries out to God on behalf of his people, begging God to remember his friend Abraham and how he had carved out the nation for them to live and grow and serve him.

He tells God about the difficulty they are about to endure from these surrounding

nations and then he says this: “O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us.

We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chron 20:12 ESV).

What an amazing response! So often when we face difficulty we try everything in our power to bring our difficulty under our own control and only when all other options have failed us to we turn our eyes to Heaven. Yet here, king Jehoshaphat sets us an amazing example of turning all our hope in our time of desperation to God as a first resort rather than a last.

God responds to Jehoshaphat by speaking through one of the Levites present in the gathering, saying, “Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not

be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you” (20:15b-17 ESV). God promises to fight the battle on their behalf. What an incredible promise of salvation! And so the people of Israel respond by throwing all their energies into the worship of God. And the next morning Jehoshaphat continues in kind by selecting ‘those who were willing’ to go ahead before the army of Judah singing praises to God. When they got to the valley where they were to meet the opposition, they were greeted by an incredible site. “When Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked toward the horde, and behold, there were dead bodies lying on the ground; none had escaped” (20:24 ESV). While the people of God were worshiping him, he set out against the three armies, turning them against one another so that they fought and all killed each other. By the time the people of God arrived, there was no battle left to fight. It was finished. God had won!

When we come across difficulty and great struggle in life, we could react in fear. We could do everything within our own power to take care of our situation and try to keep it under our control. We could pack up and leave, running away and staying far ahead of the danger.

We could freeze up and be overrun by the evil that sits before us. OR We could lift our eyes and hands to heaven in the battle, fix our eyes on Jesus, and worship him knowing that he has prepared a

place for us with him in eternity and nothing we experience (good or bad) in this world will compare to the surpassing greatness of being in the presence of our Lord. Which will you choose?

Submitted by Micah Herrick

Micah has been with Hillsboro Church of Christ since 2019 serving as our Worship Minister.

A little known fact about Micah (or some of you may already know): he loves to cook!

IN THE LIGHT John 3:16-21 is a passage of scripture that you almost certainly have heard in part. John 3:16 is probably the most well known and often quoted verse in the whole Bible. With good reason, this verse more than any other encapsulates the Gospel in just a few words. Today though, I want us to focus on the verses that follow the most famous verse in the Bible.

16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:16-21 ESV) Jesus calls himself the light of the world in John 8 and in Matthew 5 he calls us to be the light of

the world. Someone has said that our job as Christians is to be like the moon; to reflect the light of Jesus to others. The problem with light is that it reveals. The closer we get to Jesus the more things we see in our own lives that are sinful and need to be changed. The same can also be true for when we interact with other people, sometimes the light of Christ reflected in our life can reveal part of their lives that they would rather be hidden. You may have had someone feel judged by you simply by observing how you live. Light reveals. Darkness hides.

When I was in high school some friends invited me to play paintball in the dark.

We choose a night when there was a full moon because once your eyes adjust to the darkness you can actually see pretty well. As we were about to start the first

game, the clouds rolled in; next came the fog, some of the worst fog I’ve ever seen. You couldn’t see anything below your knees and could only see about 20 feet in front of you. This was the most terrifying game of paintball I have ever played. You could hear people walking around in the woods, but you couldn’t see them or know exactly who was out there. You didn’t want to shoot because it would give away your position and when you did hear shooting you didn’t know what side of the tree to hide behind. There was, however, one bright spot in the woods, someone had built a campfire near one of the team bases. Everyone seemed to be drawn to this fire but if you stepped too close your form would materialize out of the fog and people would shoot at you from all directions.

should give us the courage to be obedient to what God has called us to, even if it brings us into conflict with others.

The closer we step towards Jesus the more his light will be reflected in our lives. This will inevitably lead to others condemning us. They may attack us because they think we are somehow judging them by making different choices than they do. But here is the important thing to keep in mind, when we feel condemnation coming our way it is never coming from God. Verse 18 says, “Whoever believes in him is not condemned” and Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus took our condemnation upon himself on the cross and when we stand in the light we are exactly where God wants us to be. That understanding

Adam Steele

Grace and Peace,

Submitted by

Adam has served with Hillsboro Church of Christ since 2016 as our Associate Minster—Discipleship & Youth and Family Minister.

A little fun fact about Adam: he is addicted to Star Wars.

You can register and get more details at: hillsborochurch.net/events. Just scroll down (or across, depending on your device) and look for Summer in the Son

We started this year still in the unknown stage of planning things. In the beginning it wasn’t easy to go all in on planning something we had to change 3 times last year. If it wasn’t for the group of volunteers behind the scenes, this would not have been possible. We had about 50 students attend Vacation Bible School this year and 1520 youth/adult volunteers. VBS took place at the Webster Lot but we had to adapt to the weather (rain/storms) and saw how the auditorium could be transformed and versatile with the new chairs. So, the last 3 days of VBS were held in the worship center.

From the bottom of my heart thank you to every one who helped make VBS happen this year whether you prayed, helped in person, or made something, nothing went unnoticed!

Megan Apgar

155 W. Walnut St. Hillsboro, Ohio 45133 937-393-1752 Be sure to check out our website hillsborochurch.net

Services: 9:00 am Sunday 10:30 am Sunday

COME JOIN US!