In our Business Meeting last week Landmark church voted to entertain another Fellowship Meeting on November 24 and 25th. We want to get the word out early enough this year so that you will have plenty of time to make your plans to "SHARE OUR BLESSINGS" in this time of spiritual feasting and rejoicing together in the Lord.


    Bro. Derek Garner has been called to serve as Associate Pastor of Landmark MBC. Since he was reared, saved, baptized and called to the ministry here in Rockford, it should be no surprise that he is deeply concerned for the welfare of this church.
    Your pastor looks forward to sharing the ministry of the church with Derek in the days ahead, and prays that it may be to the spiritual enrichment and growth of the body. E.G.


    Good News! After a complete colonoscopy, the doctor reports no evidence of malignant activity. In fact, he was so well pleased

    The word "wherefore", with which our study begins, looks back to the voluntary self-forgetfulness of the Lord Jesus as set forth in verses 7-8. Because He set His mind on the welfare of others - though they were guilty sinners and deserving of divine wrath, (vs. 4- 5), He set Himself in the way of true greatness and ultimate exaltation. Instead of tenaciously clinging to the "glory and majesty" that had been His before the world was, He voluntarily "emptied" Himself, (vs. 6). He humbled Himself to become a SERVANT - taking on Himself the form of man, (vs. 7). Because of His perfect obedience of the Father's will - even to the extreme of giving Himself up to the death and curse of a cruel, despised and shameful cross (vs. 8); the father was pleased with His sacrifice for sinners.
    What follows here is a DIVINE RECIPRICATION of our Lord's TOTAL COMMITTMENT of Himself to the Fathers will: "Wherefore God also hath RICHLY EXALTED HIM!" (comp. Heb. 1:9; 2:9; Jn. 10:17; Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:20-23). In the process of exaltation, God raised our Lord

from the dead. He set Him at His own right hand in the heavens - to share His throne! Thus, His is presently a position FAR ABOVE all rule, authority, power, dominion and every name that is named - not only in this age, but also in the ages yet to come!
    God has, furthermore, put all things under the rule of His beloved Son - establishing His headship over ALL THINGS IN BEHALF OF HIS CHURCH - His body, through which His life still flows in all its glorious fulness!
    God has also given to His exalted Son "A NAME WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY NAME". Signifying: "power, authority and character", the NAME of the Lord is what He IS in Himself. It is also significant of the Father's love and approval. It suggests His supremacy over ALL THINGS, (Jn. 5:43; I Cor. 5:4; Jn. 17:11-12; Acts 4:10; Eph. 1:21). His supremacy is UNIVERSAL: involving heaven and earth; involving His control

- both in providence and in grace; in the administration of both mercy and judgment. His supremacy must be universally acknowledged - by friend and foe. It is to this end that He has been exalted to sit at the right hand of God. The acknowledgement of His supremacy GLORIFIES GOD. It demonstrates the fulfillment of His faithful and holy purpose; it reveals His character and assures the ultimate completion of His kingdom-purpose.
    The TRUE NATURE AND DEITY of this obedient, self-sacrificing Son of Man will be universally proclaimed. At His name "every knee shall bow", (Isa. 45:23; Rom. 14:10-11). Always used of "religious veneration", this expression suggests the recognition of His true deity, (Rom. 11:4; Eph. 3:14). This veneration will include:
    1) Things in heaven - cherubim, seraphim and all the angel-hosts.
    2) Things on earth - involving every creature that God has made.
    3) Things under the earth - the whole of His creation (even the in-animate) bringing praise to His worthy name! (Psa. 148:3-10).
    Thus, EVERY TONGUE will proclaim the divinely-manifested LORDSHIP of Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:9; Matt. 4:7; Jas. 5:11; Matt. 22:43-44; I Pet. 1:25; Acts 2:30; Jude 4-5, 9, 14). And it will all redound to THE GLORY OF GOD, THE FATHER!


    If one despises and rejects the loving discipline of God's grace, there is no way whereby he can avoid the discipline of His POWER

- through inescapable judgment! Nor must one be deceived by the escapist Protestant philosophy that "All judgment is PAST for the child of God".

    The Hebrew writer warned that it is "a FEARFUL THING to fall into the hands of the living God!" And, lest one be tempted to apply this to someone else, he prefaced that statement by saying: "The Lord shall judge HIS PEOPLE!" (Heb. 10:30-31).

    If, under the discipline of God's grace, we yield our hearts and lives in loving loyalty and obedient service to the Lord, then He will declare us WORTHY to walk with Him IN WHITE - clothed in His perfect righteousness. But, if we insist that we are HIS PEOPLE - yet, at the same time, on running our own affairs in such a way as to gratify the flesh - there is the prospect of eternal humiliation and shame!

    Concerning a time when it will be TOO LATE for preparation to share in the glory and blessedness of Christ's kingdom, it is written that: "EVERY knee shall bow, and EVERY tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is LORD!" Those who have been unwilling that He should exercise His rightful lordship over their lives will, in the day of judgment - when their false apparel has been so CONSUMED by the fiery indignation of the Lord that they are left bankrupt and naked - BOW IN SHAME and willingly acknowledge that His had ALWAYS BEEN the right to ABSOLUTE CONTROL over their lives. He will be glorified by the acknowledgement that their

humiliation, in nakedness and shame, is JUST!
    Do not miss the point that THE PRIMARY APPLICATION of Philippians 2:11 MUST be made TO THE LORD'S OWN NEW COVENANT PEOPLE - remembering that it is addressed to the little flock of saints in Philippi who were the DEAREST OF ALL to the loving heart of the apostle Paul!

MEDICAL - CONTINUED
that he did not schedule another check-up for a full year.
    Thank you so much for you love, your prayers and liberal support during this time of crisis. Words could never express what it has meant to me. E.G.



    "The word spoken by angels" evidently refers to the LAW - possibly including the whole of the Old Testament. The writer here assumes that the original recipients of this letter will understand this fact. Two Old Testament passages furnish the basis for this assumption, (Deut. 32:2; Psa. 68:17). And the writer is careful to show that he is NOT CONTRADICTING the teaching of the Old Testament.
    "Stedfast", with regard to the angel-mediated law, carries the idea of its validity, its firmness and authority - something recognized by Jews everywhere. That one could not ignore this law, with impunity, was evidenced by the fact

that EVERY violation brought its appropriate penalty.
    "Transgression" involved a "cutting across" or breaking of the precepts of the law, (Heb. 10:28-31). "Disobedience" suggests the idea of "to hear amiss"; thus, involving a stubborn REFUSAL TO HEED - the careless attitude that leads to transgression, (Jer. 11:9-10; 35:16-17; comp. Acts 7:51-57). Whoever presumed to sin against the word spoken by angels was "cut off" from among his people, (Num. 15:30).
    EVERY act of negligence; EVERY failure to obey; EVERY omission of practical duty; EVERY infringement of the angel-mediated law received its JUST RECONPENCE of retribution!
    This does NOT mean that the offenders were LOST by, or from, God! It DOES mean that they fell miserably short of experiencing the

fulness of blessing that He had prepared for those who are faithful to their high calling!
    Far weightier responsibility rests upon those who have heard the superior witness of God's own Son. For one who neglects, disregards, despises or rudely and willfully ignores the great salvation provided, proclaimed and freely offered through Jesus Christ, THERE IS NO ESCAPE from a just retribution. The warning here is NOT for alien sinners, but FOR GOD'S OWN PEOPLE!
    This salvation was first proclaimed, in its fulness, by our Lord himself. It was confirmed by reliable eyewitnesses. It was divinely authenticated by "signs, wonders and various miracles".
    BEWARE OF NEGLECTING IT!


    A recent letter from Pastor Leonard Ford, in Anchorage, Alaska, announces a Fellowship Meeting to be hosted by the First MBC of Anchorage on July 1-4. They are anticipating a good attendance.
    Though I am not certain that it will be possible for me to attend this meeting, I can assure you (from past experience) that Pastor Ford and First Church will demonstrate the very essence of brotherly love and gracious Christian hospitality.
    Food and lodging will be provided for all who will call or write ahead in order that adequate preparation may be made. The church is located in a new, lovely and commodious building located at 5614 Cobbler Drive, Anchorage, Ak 99502. You may call: (907) 344-2159 or 344-3113.