By: Zach Collins Paul wrote, in 1 Corinthians 4:1, “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”  The Apostle Paul often employed words, in his writings of inspiration, that held far deeper and more significant meanings than their appearance on the surface. One such example is found in the aforementioned verse. The word servant, found in 1 Corinthians 4:1, comes from the Greek word huperetes (hoop-ay-ret’-ace), meaning, “under-oarsman” or “subordinate rower.” While we might struggle with understanding the meaning of such words today, this was a common Greek word used for a servant, denoting a specific servant of his time, an under-rower. Ancient ships were driven, not by wind and sail, but by slaves who rowed in the belly of a ship. These men were called “under-rowers.” These slaves would sit on wooden benches, have their feet chained to the floor of the ship, and would spend their lives rowing at the captain’s commands. It is a word for a servant of God that possesses profound application in our lives.  Could any of the following statements be made applicable to the lives of Christians?  An under-rower was typically a slave or servant owned by the master of the ship. From the moment the under-rower stepped foot on the ship, the will of the under-rower was in submission to the will of his master.  An under-rower was part of a team of under-rowers that worked together. A typical oar was about thirty feet long and, often, required up …

Am I Being Neighborly?  By: Zach Collins The story is told about a preacher who preached a sermon on helping those in need. In his sermon, he used the parable of the Good Samaritan and encouraged the members, in his application, to become actively involved by giving to the poor. There was a little boy sitting in the pew, with his grandfather, listening to the sermon patiently. At the conclusion of the sermon, the collection basket began to be passed from pew to pew, and the little boy’s grandfather gave him a crisp $1 bill to put into the basket. However, instead of putting money in the basket, the little boy put the crisp $1 bill in his pocket. The worship service came and went, and as the preacher was shaking hands, the grandfather and little boy left the auditorium and came to the preacher. The little boy reached up and gave the preacher his crisp $1 bill with mischievous fingers! The preacher said, “Son, what is this for?” The little boy quipped, “You preached on giving to the poor and my daddy says you are the poorest preacher he knows.”   Jesus was once asked the question, “Who is my neighbor?” To which, Jesus responded by telling one of the most familiar stories in the Bible, the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  Do you remember this story? One day, a certain man was traveling upon the road of Jericho from Jerusalem, a very dangerous road, when he fell among thieves. They …