Was Jesus Married?

The Bible contains no direct statement saying Jesus was either married or single. And yet, claims of a new historical finding have raised the question again, and they are the same claims that were presented some years back in the completely discredited and nonsensical book, "The DaVinci Code." I was reviewing a series of lessons I taught refuting that book, and came across this section, so relevant to the news story of the day:


Biblical reasons why I believe Jesus was not married:

First, consider the evidence of Jesus’ stated purpose and mission.

Jesus came to earth with a purpose, and everything about His life revolved around that purpose. Taking a wife would be inconsistent with that purpose.
Bible study - Matthew 20:28; Luke 4:43; 19:10; John 3:17; 10:10; 18:37

Even as a child, Jesus was single-mindedly fixed on His purpose, to the exclusion of all else, "And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?" (Luke 2:49)

Second, consider the evidence of Jesus’ abject poverty.

And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. (Luke 9:58)

This is not the description of a married man. Certainly it is not the description of a responsible married man. If Jesus treated His wife this way, He was a poor husband, and it is not possible for me to accept Jesus as being anything but perfect at anything He undertook to do.

Third, consider Paul’s argument about married leadership in the church.

Paul was unmarried: I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. (1 Corinthians 7:8)

And yet he argued that it was perfectly right and proper for church leadership to be married: Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? (1 Corinthians 9:5)

Wouldn’t Paul have used his best examples to prove this point? If Jesus, the founder and leader of the church had a wife, wouldn’t Paul have mentioned it here?

Fourth, consider Jesus’ words from the cross to John.

BIBLE STUDY - John 19:25-27

Jesus, in His dying moments, in the manner of the first-born son, remembered to provide for the care of His mother. Mary Magdalene was standing beside her at the time, but Jesus provided nothing for her.Wouldn’t He have provided for His wife, if He had one?

Finally, consider that the Bible DOES talk about Christ’s bride!

Jesus’ bride is not a person, but rather the Church.

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready (Revelation 19:7) (See also Revelation 21:2; 22:17

Summary
The recent claim that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married is fascinating fiction, but false history. Nothing about the claim is true.

The Bible teaches that Jesus, both during His earthly ministry, and even now, loves only one bride - His church.

Memories of Old Fashioned Sunday

Check it out - http://recordpub.com/news/article/5217040

Fantastic Fridays!!

Don't you love them? Fridays, that is. One of the best days of the week.

Of course some see Fridays only as the beginning of a weekend of play. But to us who are saved, it is so much more, for it means we are that much closer to the Lord's Day. His day. Our day of rest and worship and gathering. I always feel sorry for those who miss out on it, and throw away their weekends.

And for those at FBC, this weekend has even more to look forward to. Consider a few of the opportunities:

Saturday, 8:00 am - Men's Prayer Breakfast in Fellowship Hall

Saturday, 6:00 pm - Campfire Fellowship at the Home of the Turner family. Bring a dish to pass and a lawn chair to sit on, and enjoy a great evening of food, fun, and fellowship. This is the penultimate campfire fellowship of the year. Don't miss out!

Sunday, 9:30 am - Sunday School for all ages. Parents - don't rob your kids! And don't rob yourselves, either, of the opportunity to learn the Word of God.

Sunday, 10:30 am - Worship Service

Sunday, 6:30 pm - Israel recap and Q and A session.

OK... so maybe Friday ISN'T the best time of the week. But it leads right into it! Join your friends this weekend at Friendship Bible Church. You DO have friends here!

P and P

Every Wednesday evening some of us gather at FBC to pray.  And there is always plenty to pray about, isn't there?  If you're paying any attention to the news today, then you know that this week is no different. We have much to talk to the Lord about, personally, as a church, and as a nation.

But we also have so much to praise Him for, don't we?  

Tonight we'll be reminding ourselves of the wonderful story of the Passover, in Exodus 12.  And that wonderful phrase, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you" will be front and center.  Is there not much in that phrase for which to give thanks?

Join us this evening.  Come prepared for both P and P - Prayer and Praise.  

See you at 6:30!

Heaven Is Rejoicing

"Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10 NKJV)

I wonder how much rejoicing took place in heaven this past Lord's Day? I'm convinced there was a fair bit.

Think of what took place - the Word of God went forth to nearly 200 hearers. The worship of God flew heavenward. The service of God was seen in the efforts of hundreds of hands and hearts. The witness of God spread. The name of God was glorified. The people of God were uplifted and encouraged and blessed.

It is always a humbling experience to see the way God's people pull together and serve at FBC. Old Fashioned Sunday was certainly no exception, as scores of people exercised their gifts and served the Lord. And every service, no matter how small it might seem, glorifies God and is seen in heaven:

"And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." (Matthew 10:42 NKJV)

From those who decorated and set up to those who tore down and cleaned up (in the rain)... from those who ran for supplies to those who labored through the wee hours of the night roasting the pig and preparing the food... from those who cleaned and decorated the church to those who practiced and sang in the music service... to those who labored in prayer the last few Wednesday evenings... to ALL who served, in whatever capacity... I say praise God and thank you.

Only in eternity will the full impact of your service be known. But we can know this because the Bible says it - heaven is rejoicing. And for that, I say hallelujah.

Old Fashioned Sunday Pics

Thanks, Bro. Ray, for the pics!

If you are viewing this in email, and the slideshow doesn't display properly, just go to the FBC BLOG and view it there.

Help Raise the Tent

Don't forget - we need help raising the Old Fashioned Sunday tent at 1:00 today! And it's a lot bigger than the one in the pic, so we need a lot more help!

The weather is supposed to be clearing. You may have to dodge a raindrop or two, but think how much easier it will be to drive tent pegs!

Bring a sledge hammer if you've got one, and meet the team at the church at 1:00.

Counting Down...

It's almost here - Old Fashioned Sunday.  Great food, great fun, great music, and so much more.

Those attending this year will enjoy the music of Bobby Bowen and his family... the pig roast by Luke... the preaching of a very special guest preacher... and the fun and fellowship that we always have here at Friendship Bible Church.

It all starts with the worship service at 10:30 (NOTICE - no Sunday School hour this week), and then we'll move outside for the meal under the tent, and finish the day with an old fashioned gospel sing.

Bobby will have his music CDs and merchandise available for sale, and there will be commemorative shirts and hats for sale, as well.

You won't want to miss this day!  Invite your friends. Encourage your family to join you.  Remind everybody that they "HAVE FRIENDS AT FRIENDSHIP BIBLE CHURCH!"

We serve an almighty Master

A little Spurgeon to encourage you today:

"You never met an old salt, down by the sea, who was in trouble because the tide had been ebbing out for hours. No! He waits confidently for the turn of the tide, and it comes in due time. Yonder rock has been uncovered during the last half-hour, and if the sea continues to ebb out for weeks, there will be no water in the English Channel, and the French will walk over from Cherbourg. Nobody talks in that childish way, for such an ebb will never come. Nor will we speak as though the gospel would be routed, and eternal truth driven out of the land.

We serve an almighty Master...

If our Lord does but stamp His foot, He can win for Himself all the nations of the earth against heathenism, and Mohammedanism, and Agnosticism, and Modern-thought, and every other foul error. Who is he that can harm us if we follow Jesus? How can His cause be defeated? At His will, converts will flock to His truth as numerous as the sands of the sea...

Wherefore be of good courage, and go on your way singing."

Old Fashioned Sunday!!

Plans are in place and workers are working toward a great day this Sunday. Great music is planned... Fabulous food is expected... And even a surprise special speaker is scheduled.

What's left to do? Well, one thing is for you to CLEAR YOUR CALENDAR and be there! Another is to PRAY!!!

Pray for weather... for success in setup and preparation... for blessings upon those who are working so hard...

But MOST OF ALL...

Pray that souls be won to the Savior.

I read this Spurgeon quote last night in prayer meeting. It sums up how we need to pray for Old Fashioned Sunday:

"I beseech you never to cease to pray that here God's Word may be a quickening, a convincing, a converting word. The fact is, brethren, we must have conversion work here. We cannot go on as some churches do without converts. We cannot, we will not, we must not, we dare not. Souls must be converted here, and if there be not many born to Christ, may the Lord grant me that I may sleep in the tomb of my fathers and be heard of no more. Better indeed for us to die than to live, if souls be not saved."

Pray, Brothers.
Pray, Sisters.
Pray.

Moses at the Burning Bush

Join us for our midweek prayer meeting this evening at 6:30, as we continue our studies in "the stories we learned in Sunday school."

We are told plainly in the book of James that one of the reasons we do not have the things we need is because we don't ask for them! "you do not have because you do not ask." (James 4:2)

So join us tonight, as we bombard the throne of grace with our requests... as we pray one for another... and especially this week, as we pray for Old-Fashioned Sunday coming up this coming Lord's Day.