Andy Sochor, Author at Plain Bible Teaching

Andy Sochor September 6, 2012

A Disciple’s Influence

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus described the character of one who would be one of His disciples. He made it very clear that His disciples would have an impact upon the world around them.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:13-16).

Jesus used three analogies – the salt of the earth, the light of the world, and a city set on a hill – to describe His disciples. Each one of these emphasizes different aspects of the influence which we are to have upon others, and how the world will react to us.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: example, persecution, teaching

Andy Sochor September 6, 2012

"A Watchman for the House of Israel" (9/6)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 32-34.

“Now as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a message from My mouth and give them warning from Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand. But if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life” (Ezekiel 33:7-9).

A watchman’s job was simple: warn the people when danger threatened in order to give them time to prepare for the threat. Ezekiel’s job as “a watchman for the house of Israel” was similar. He was to warn them of divine punishment that was coming because of their sins. The hope was that the warning would lead them to prepare for the “threat” by putting away their sins and turning back to the Lord.

There are at least two lessons we can take from this:
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: listen, preaching

Andy Sochor September 5, 2012

"You Are a Man and Not God" (9/5)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 28-31.

In the following passage, Ezekiel prophesied against the arrogance of the king of Tyre:

“Son of man, say to the leader of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Because your heart is lifted up and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the seas’; yet you are a man and not God, although you make your heart like the heart of God” (Ezekiel 28:2).

The verses that follow describe the great wisdom and riches that the king of Tyre had obtained for himself (Ezekiel 28:3-5). What often happens when one obtains such wealth and wisdom is that he becomes arrogant and rebels against God. This is what happened with the king of Tyre. His “heart [was] lifted up” (Ezekiel 28:5); and he tried to make himself out to be equal with God (Ezekiel 28:2, 6). God described His attitude toward those who seek to portray themselves as being gods in the minds of the people.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: government, pride

Andy Sochor September 4, 2012

Judgment Against the Nations (9/4)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 24-27.

After prophesying about judgment against God’s people for their sins, Ezekiel reveals the coming divine judgment against the surrounding nations. In Ezekiel 25, the prophet mentions four nations: Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. In each instance, he explains why judgment was coming.

“And say to the sons of Ammon, ‘Hear the word of the Lord God! Thus says the Lord God, “Because you said, ‘Aha!’ against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and against the house of Judah when they went into exile, therefore, behold, I am going to give you to the sons of the east for a possession…”‘” (Ezekiel 25:3-4).
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: judgment, sin, vengeance

Andy Sochor September 3, 2012

"Her Priests Have Done Violence to My Law" (9/3)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 22-23.

When God condemned Israel for their sins, there was plenty of blame to go around. The following passage mentions the priests and why they shared responsibility for the unfaithfulness of the people.

“Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the profane, and they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they hide their eyes from My sabbaths, and I am profaned among them” (Ezekiel 22:26).

The Lord told Ezekiel that the priests had “done violence” to the Law. Similarly, there are preachers and teachers today who do violence to the law of God. Notice how this happens:
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: law, obedience

Andy Sochor September 2, 2012

"I Acted for the Sake of My Name" (9/2)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 20-21.

In Ezekiel 20, the Lord presents a summary of the history between Him and the people of Israel.

“And say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “On the day when I chose Israel and swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God, on that day I swore to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had selected for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all the lands. I said to them, ‘Cast away, each of you, the detestable things of his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt, I am the Lord your God,’ But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. So I took them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness“‘” (Ezekiel 20:5-10).

This pattern is repeated throughout the history of God’s people. It shows how God extends His grace to man.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: SERIES: Daily Notes & Observations Tagged With: God, grace, sin

Andy Sochor September 1, 2012

Learn From the Sins of Others (9/1)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Ezekiel 18-19.

People often want to blame others for their shortcomings. It is common for one to blame their parents or the way they were raised as the reason why they engage in sinful behavior as an adult. While circumstances in one’s past surely have an influence on one’s present and future, those past circumstances do not dictate one’s actions. Each one of us has a choice to either do right or wrong.

This point is illustrated with an analogy God described to Ezekiel of three generations – a righteous man, his wicked son, and his righteous grandson. Notice what the text says of the righteous grandson (the wicked man’s son).