The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1922-02-14
Sermon Delivered by Evangelist Jno.
T.Smith, Of the Church Of Christ, the
First Service in Their New Building

exist. nat We NhN' 'WiiNi -
ton Of three hundred and fifty
members ~ az good and substantial
and influential men and women az
are In Lubbock, might 10 some seem
sufficient reasons FOR our existing
as q separate body. out not so. II
we had three thousand members
this would prove nothing as 20 our
right 10 exist. But II the church
has distinct mission, viz. the nc
compiiahmcnt ~ some worthy work
under God a work which God wants
done: which work would not be done
without said church, this of Itself
proves i's right 20 exist. provided
II adopts the plan and means or
dained 81 God for the accomplish
moni ~ said work
Have we then "a peculiar and sep
araio mission? And we most earn
estly contend that we have. a
mission s0 peculiar 90 us that ] con.
atutcg us the peculiar people OF
whom Paul wrote 90 TITUS GIN.
I2: lij.
Certainly we claim, as, DO others
that our mission b. the re-csiahlish.
mont of right relations between
man and God, and between man
and man That ne mission and
ideals III The body we constitute, are
The mission and ideals ~ lt's head,
Jesus ChriN. and these find their
exnrcsann in two pn.sagcs Of scrip
furo. a Tim 1850. "lnis BE- faith
fnl saying and worthy ~ att acccp-
taiion, that Chris, Jesus came into
the world 20 save sinners ~ whom
am Chief and (Mai q, I'D
Therefore az things whatsoever
ye would that men should DO 90
YOU. DO ya oven 20 90 mem Tor
/ This ie the Iaw ard The nr1nhe'e
Bot what Of the plan" and
"means" adopted hy ra3 Arc they
peculiar ~ us, differing either
wholly or In part from those adopt.
/ I'D hy all other religious bodiesf
And Sc positively nvow them 90 be-.
stfi people may hr pcculIari
and different from nll others, and
af tho came time he wrong with
n0 rght under God t0 exist aH r.
onaraie body The mere fact thai
we are peculiar. doesn't justify our
/ existence
] Bot are onr pcrnlinriiies and dif-
foronres seripiural? Are they God.
ordained. or authorized by Che b.
ho7 This Be- 70 most important
point on which hinges the question
/ III our right 10 exist ns separate
body n they are not. we should
/ GLADLY and willingly give them up.
We should be ready and anxious 20
+ surrender any hobby opinion, or
D L.a NftN. -
\ n union and peace.
IN the light u Bible teaching,
|. there should be one. and but one
body; one and but one church. Yet
In the City Of Lubbock there are
At least eight different churches,
ali claiming the same Bible as their
rule Of faith and practice, The
unity Of Gods people is 30 clearly
taught in the Bible that the Way.
faring man, though fools shall not
err therein" II was taught IN types
and shadows long before Jesus pur.
chased the Church with his own
blood. The Ark, the Tabernacle,
and the Temple are all types Of the
Church. And just M there was
one and but one Tabernacle, and
one and but one Temple, just "a
there should be one and but one
Church
The unity Of the Church is Illus.
trated by the physical body with
it's members. Paul says; For rs
we have many members IN one body
and al members have not the same
office; 80 we, being many, are one
body In Christ and cvery one mem
bars one Of another" Rom. ~; 40
Now Just as certainly as the body
and all it's members constitute one
and but one body, just 20 certainly
DO all Christians compose one, anc
but one Church. Otherwise Pauli
language IA meaningless. Again
"But now hath God set the mem.
beers every one Of them in the body
as Il hath pleased him. And II they
we're all one member, whore were
the body? But now are they many
members, yet but one body Cor
~. 1920. In Eph. 22-23 Pau
sayH: "ADd hath put all thing
under His feet, and gave him to b
head over all things 20 the Church
which u his body. the frllnesa OF
him that filleth all in all. = Nov
since the Church IL the body OF
Christ. and there II "blt one body.
obviously there Is, and can be bui
one Church.
Again, Jesus says: "And thers
shall be one fold and one shep
herd" Jno. 10; 10. Who IS Thu
Shepherd? In the fourteenth verse
Of the same Chapter Jesus says
Il am the good shepherd What y
the fold? "And other sheep have
which are not Of this fold: Then
also must bring. and they shall
hear my voice; and there shall be
one fold and one shepherd" Thu
Il is clear that the fold Is composed
Of sheep. Sheep represent Chris
tians, and Christians compose the