Welcome to the Gospel Vault! Every Friday will feature an article or sermon from the Past. This week a lesson on baptism from Marshall Keeble (1878-1968) Marshall Keeble Sermon

(From 2002) Some people ask why is full immersion baptism necessary and you could respond in simple terms by saying "because it’s in the bible". But you’d want to back up that statement with a scripture passage to prove it true and you would turn to Romans 6: 3-5, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:" Various other questions can be answered by saying "the bible says so" but we also want to show them where to prove we are right. 1Thessalonians 5:21, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." In reading the early books of the Old Testament, I not

(Nov. 4, 2007)             A few months ago I read a children’s mystery story of a ‘runaway scarecrow’.   The basic plot was a Scarecrow figure recently disappeared from the front of a restaurant.   A note was found in its place, supposedly written by the scarecrow announcing a need for a travel vacation and that someone needed to find out where he would be.             A few days later photos arrived at the restaurant, again supposedly sent by the scarecrow, of his travels. The photos are poorly taken and not focusing primarily on the scarecrow or identification of his whereabouts.             Enter three children known as Three Cousins Detective Club who are asked to solve this mystery.   What it ends up being is that the photos are pieces to a puzzle to tell the whereabouts of the scarecrow.   Each photo has words or letters, which spell out a sentence.   The hard part for the kids was the fact that they were working on a puzzle without a main picture to ref

Written by Christopher Mentzer (from 2003)               I had the opportunity a while back to play a computer called “The Sims”.  It’s an interactive game in which you control the everyday lives of these people.  Everything they do from giving them a job, to providing housing, entertainment and making friends you have to decide for them.  After playing for a while, I noticed that I also had to tell them when to use the bathroom, shower, eat a meal and clean up after themselves.  Now this may sound like these people are stupid, but as I mentioned at the start you control these people’s lives.             Sometimes we take for granted the little things in life; eating, cleaning up and showering.  That’s because we are taught when we are young to do these things so we don’t have to spend a lot of thought process on it.  It just becomes natural to us.             When Jesus was crucified on the cross for our sins, we sometimes take that for granted.  Why?  Because

(From 2008)             Forty days after Jesus’ resurrection and just prior to His ascension, the disciples inquired of the kingdom (Acts 1: 6).   Jesus replied that it wasn’t time to reveal such a thing but that they would know when they received power from the Holy Spirit (vs. 7-8). He added that they would be his witnesses starting in Jerusalem and going through the whole world.   Then Jesus ascended into heaven (vs. 9).   In the next two verses something interesting occurs:   “10. And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11. who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven.” (Acts 1: 10-11)  These two men in white are presumed to be angels although the text doesn’t say so.              What do we know of this passage?  First, the disciples, having been wi

(from 2003) By Christopher Mentzer              Back in 1995 there was a TV program called  Nowhere Man .  It was a short series, only lasting one season.  The show combined the elements of shows like  The Fugitive, The Prisoner  and  The Twilight Zone.   The show was about a man named Tom Veil who was a photographer and took this one photo supposedly of  an American military group conducting a multiple hanging down in South America. Tom’s life was completely erased to the point of his own wife denied knowing him.  As the show progressed, Tom would search for the truth behind the photo and the people who wanted the negatives. However, the more he uncovered, the less he was sure as to what was the truth and what was fabrication; right down to his own memories.              How do we know what is the truth?  Basically we go on what we learn as we grow up.  What our parents teach us, what the schools teach us, and the things we learn on day to day basis of living our lives