Author:
G. Michael Cocoris
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Date Posted: 08:55:13 06/09/06 Fri
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"A Piece of My Mind
Greetings!
From time-to-time I have shared with you, my friend, Mike Cocoris' peroidic musings entitled, "A Piece of My Mind." I thought you might be interested in this one. I hope you'll use the contact info at the bottom of this page to send him an email or perhaps give him a call - - Jack Moulton
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We think and speak of the work week and the weekend. Perhaps, we should think in terms of the week-beginning and the work week. Let me explain.
The Apostle John writes, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1:17).
The Mosaic legal system contained a provision for observing the Sabbath, which is the seventh day of the week, Saturday. Moses writes, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Ex. 20:8-11). The Mosaic legal system is simple enough: work six days and rest on the seventh. It is patterned after the creation work week. God Himself worked and rested on the seventh day.
Jesus flipped it. He brought grace. In the grace system, God gives and, then, we work. In that well- worn passage Paul says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). The grace system is simple enough: God saves us by His grace and, then, out of gratitude we work. It is the exact opposite of the Mosaic Law.
It is no accident that in the New Testament, believers observed Sunday, the first day of the week, rather than Saturday, the seventh day of the week. Luke records, “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them” (Acts 20:7). Paul instructs the Corinthians, “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come” (1 Cor. 16:2).
The Sabbath is a day of rest after a week of work; Sunday is a day of remembrance before the work week.
We need to change the way we think about the week. Instead of thinking, “I have worked hard all week. The weekend is my time off to do what I want.” We should think, “Sunday is the day to remember God’s gift of His Son, who arose from the dead on the first day of the week.” With that attitude adjustment, we are ready to take on a new week with a new attitude of gratitude. That change of thinking will change your whole life, not just your week.
Sincerely,
Mike Cocoris
A Piece of My Mind
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Email cocoris@cocoris.com
Phone: 310-396-3132
Web Site http://www.cocoris.com
A Piece of My Mind is a periodic publication written by G. Michael Cocoris. It is the musing of Mike, consisting of whatever comes out of his reflections on life in general and spiritual things in particular. It is published as the urge hits him. ã G. Michael Cocoris. cocoris@ix.netcom.com May 31, 2006
by G. Michael Cocoris
G. Michael Cocoris is a communicator. He possesses the ability to make even complicated subjects simple, clear and practical. His breadth of experience has given him the ability to relate to a wide range of audiences. He has been an evangelist, conference speaker, adjunct professor, visiting lecturer, author, pastor and world traveler.
Mike received a Bachelor’s of Arts degree from Tennessee Temple University (1962), a Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary (1966) and a Doctorate of Divinity from Biola University (1984).
While he was in seminary, Mike was Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Pattonville, Texas (1963-66), where he was ordained. From 1966 to 1974 he was an itinerant evangelist, speaking in churches, youth camps, conferences, service clubs, high schools, colleges and seminaries thought out the United States (He has spoken in more than 40 states) and was for six summers the youth speaker at the Blue Water Camp and Conference, Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada.
In 1974 he became Vice President of EvanTell Inc in Dallas Texas and an adjunct Professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. He became Senior Pastor of the historic Church of the Open Door in 1979, beginning in downtown Los Angeles and later in Glendora, CA. While at the Church of the Open Door he had a daily radio broadcast that was heard on as many as 59 stations. He has conducted tours to the Holy Land, England, Europe and China, has served on the board of four Christian organizations including a college and a university and has been listed in Who’s Who in Religion.
Besides writing numerous magazine articles, mainly for Biblical Research Monthly, Mike has authored several books including Evangelism: A Biblical Approach, Lordship Salvation: Is it Biblical? and Seventy Years on Hope Street. In addition, he was a contributor to The Nelson Complete Study Bible and Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary.
G. Michael Cocoris lives in Santa Monica, CA ---- Phone: (310) 396 3132 Fax: (310) 396 5868 -- e-mail: cocoris@cocoris.com
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Observing the Sabbath.The Sabbath is a day of rest.