Bonnie Sharp

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A mini coloring book and small posters to help the Sunday school teacher tell the story of Elijah ascending to heaven in a chariot of fire.

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Marta Shutt

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Suzy Fitch

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Luke 16:25-31" TARGET="_blank">Luke 16:25-31  But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.  (26)  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'  (27)  And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house--  (28)  for I have five brothers--so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'  (29)  But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'  (30)  And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  (31)  He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"

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Judges 9:51-54" TARGET="_blank">Judges 9:51-54  But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the leaders of the city fled to it and shut themselves in, and they went up to the roof of the tower.  (52)  And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.  (53)  And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushed his skull.  (54)  Then he called quickly to the young man his armor-bearer and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, lest they say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

Judges 16:25-30" TARGET="_blank">Judges 16:25-30  And when their hearts were merry, they said, "Call Samson, that he may entertain us." So they called Samson out of the prison, and he entertained them. They made him stand between the pillars.  (26)  And Samson said to the young man who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, that I may lean against them."  (27)  Now the house was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about 3,000 men and women, who looked on while Samson entertained.  (28)  Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes."  (29)  And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other.  (30)  And Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines." Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it. So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he had killed during his life.

1 Samuel 31:3-6" TARGET="_blank">1 Samuel 31:3-6  The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers.  (4)  Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me." But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.  (5)  And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.  (6)  Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.

2 Samuel 17:22-24" TARGET="_blank">2 Samuel 17:22-24  Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.  (23)  When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.  (24)  Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel.

1 Kings 16:15-19" TARGET="_blank">1 Kings 16:15-19  In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines,  (16)  and the troops who were encamped heard it said, "Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king." Therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp.  (17)  So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah.  (18)  And when Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house over him with fire and died,  (19)  because of his sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for his sin which he committed, making Israel to sin.

Matthew 27:3-5" TARGET="_blank">Matthew 27:3-5  Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,  (4)  saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself."  (5)  And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.

Other Information about Teen Suicide / Suicide Thoughts

Read the story of Joel Hovey , who decided one day that he would commit suicide, but then found peace in God instead.

You might also be asking the following questions about suicide...

• Is the sin of suicide a special, unforgivable sin?
• Can a Christian commit suicide? 
• Why does God allow us to experience trials and suffering?
• Is going to the doctor a sign of weak faith?

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As regards our Lord’s burial, is it right to say that, “Burial is a necessary part of our Lord’s vicarious work”?

“The Gospel includes it as we see 1 Corinthians 15: 3, 4." TARGET="_blank">1 Corinthians 15: 3, 4. Adam being guilty, the judgment of God required that he should return to the earth whence he came. The burning outside the camp of the sin- offering when its blood was taken inside the veil, points to this”

It is important to distinguish between the penal and governmental consequences of sin. The former are defined in the words of the Lord God, “In the day that thou eatest therefore thou shalt surely die.” There is no mention till later of dust returning to dust, if we must take that as the equivalent of burial, though it is more a putting out of sight, than physical dissolution. Nor indeed was physical death the death primarily referred to in the above warning: additional precautions had to be taken to ensure that, namely the prevention of access to the Tree of Life—”Now lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and live forever (i.e., exist in a sin-haunted body), therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden.” Nothing of an outward physical change seems to have taken place at the Fall, but a mysterious moral gulf had appeared between the creature and his Creator; he was afraid of God and hid himself. This was spiritual death.

In verses 16 to 19, the governmental consequences of the Fall are detailed quite distinct from death. The Christian is saved from the penal consequences of sin whereas he often has to know its governmental consequences. I believe the former were exhausted at the cross as the words, “It is finished,” declare, and as the rending of the veil proves. The Lord before breathing out His spirit was now no longer forsaken of His God for He commends it to His Father.

But as the writer Mr. J. T. well says, “The forsaking would not have been a public matter, had not our Lord uttered the cry.” So the death of the body was the outward and visible sign of that other death which had the much deeper significance of separation from God. I am surprised that Mr. J. T. should understand the meaning of the burning of the sin-offering outside the camp in Lev 4" TARGET="_blank">Lev 4 as burial. The word for “burning” is “araph,” representing Divine judgment; it is Christ’s suffering under God’s righteous judgment, outside the camp.

It is difficult to conceive our Lord Jesus as under Divine judgment when with reverent and loving hands He was laid in Joseph’s tomb. We may remark that His grave with the rich man was not a penalty for sin, but, “because he had done no violence neither was there any deceit in His mouth.” It is perfectly true that Christ’s burial is an eloquent testimony to the complete setting aside of the old man; but could it be said that our Lord was buried vicariously? I trow not. It is part of “the truth of the Gospel,” but as far as I remember, is only once referred to by an apostle in any public address in the Acts, which seems to show that it is not a significant part of the Gospel for the unsaved. But the Gospel is very great and extended, and has a close application to the believer. Perhaps we would be right in saying that the cross is the refuge for sinners, the sepulchre, the receptacle for the old man— Signified by baptism; and “in Christ” risen, the residence of the new man.

W.H.

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RULE
Do the Scriptures teach that an overseer is to rule the Church?

Does “obey them that have the rule over you,” imply that we have rulers in the Church to-day?

Three words are translated “RULE” in the New Testament in reference to oversight:

(1) P0IMAINO (from POIMN, a shepherd), used by our Lord to Peter—”Feed (better, ‘shepherd’) my sheep” (John 21:16)." TARGET="_blank">John 21:16). The word in vv. 1 and 17 for “feed,” is BOSKO; but feeding, though of the first importance, is only one item of shepherding.

(2) POIMAINO also occurs in Acts 20:28" TARGET="_blank">Acts 20:28 and 1 Peter 5:2," TARGET="_blank">1 Peter 5:2, “feed the flock”; also in Matt. 2:6," TARGET="_blank">Matt. 2:6, “RULE”—”that shall rule (marg. feed) my people Israel.” (z) PR0" TARGET="_blank">PR0I- STMI, as in 1 Timothy 3:5" TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 3:5 “If a man know not how to RULE his own house, how shall he take care (EPIMELBOMAI) of the church of God?” This word for “take care” occurs only here and in Luke 10:34, 35," TARGET="_blank">Luke 10:34, 35, of and by “the good Samaritan.”

PROISTEMI is used too of the RULE OF THE CHURCH in 1 Timothy 5:17." TARGET="_blank">1 Timothy 5:17.

(3) HGEOMAI (from AGO, to lead), to be a leader, to rule (in New Testament this latter only in present participle), is used of Barnabas and Silas—”CHIEF MEN among the brethren” (Acts 15:22);" TARGET="_blank">Acts 15:22); of Joseph—”GovEiuoR over Egypt” (Acts 8:10);" TARGET="_blank">Acts 8:10); and in Hebrews 13:7, 17," TARGET="_blank">Hebrews 13:7, 17, 24 in the expression, “them that HAVE THE RULE OVER” (marg., in two latter verses, “guides,” which seems to do well).

Overseers, then, are shepherds, feeding, guiding, tending the flock; also ruling, but not inthese]fassetiye, domineering way of a Gentile king, “not as lords over God’s heritage,” but with gentle control for the good of the sheep, whom they love, because they belong to the Chief Shepherd who has entrusted them to their care (1 Peter 5:2-4)," TARGET="_blank">1 Peter 5:2-4), and it is for the sheep to be subject to this godly rule.

W.H.

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