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Hugh Vol. 44 April 30, 2019 Number 16
What You Get When You Give UP
Neal Pollard
Jesus began teaching on the subject of eternal punishment in Capernaum (Mark 9).
Now, in Judea, He had handled the ever-difficult matter of marriage, divorce, and remarriage,
revealing His everlasting will on the matter (Mark 10:1-12). He followed it up by teaching the
narrow way to enter the kingdom (Mark10:1313-15), then encountered the Rich Young Ruler to
whom he gave a lofty challenge in order to be His disciple—a challenge, in principle, applicable
to all (Mark 10:17-27). That challenge was to keep riches from hindering sacrificial, whole-
hearted service to God.
Peter apparently listened closely. He was a fisherman, which may have meant he was
nowhere near the earning capacity of a rich, young ruler. He apparently lacked much formal
education (cf. Acts 4:13). He had been with Jesus from the beginning (Matt. 4). On the heels of
Christ's words about riches, Peter chimes in, "See, we have left all and followed You" (Mark
10:28). "All" certainly would have meant occupation for Peter, though he had ready access to
boat and nets even after Jesus' resurrection (John 21:3). It would have meant position in the
community, though again no Simon Peter would have had the community influence of a
member of the Sanhedrin, a Herod, or any Roman citizen. It definitely would have meant
sacrificing comforts and ease, though that may have been limited for a man of his station, too.
Reviewing the further revelation of the New Testament, we are satisfied that Peter gave up
much more than the typical person would be willing to give. What did he get in exchange for
what he surrendered?
Jesus' answer is that anyone who sacrificed for Him would receive a "hundredfold
now...and in the age to come, eternal life" (Mark 10:30). Think about Peter for a moment.
Profane history says he was crucified as a martyr for Christ. Before that, he was beaten and
threatened repeatedly. Yet, en route to what was likely a violent death, he preached the first and
second recorded gospel sermons, penned words that helped the early church (1-2 Peter) and is
remembered even today as one of the greatest disciples of Christ to have ever lived. From a
secular viewpoint, Peter seems to have gotten the short end of things. Yet, Peter came to
understand that the reward of godly, spiritual living paid off every day. He had a hope no
secular, godless person could understand (1 Pet.1:3). He lists at least fourteen different blessings
accompanying salvation in just the first chapter of 1 Peter. At the end of 1 Peter, Peter says
something that may be a bit autobiographical as well as admonishing. He says, "But may the
God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a
while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you" (1 Pet. 5:10).
Think about what you give up to be a Christian. You yield lusts of the flesh that cannot
satisfy the soul, a pursuit of a world that will never return your affection, a money-centered life
that leaves a hole in the heart, and a guilt of heart and spirit that nothing in the world can
expunge. You get salvation, forgiveness, peace, hope, joy, fulfillment, purpose, fellowship,
strength, wisdom, and so much more in this life. Then you die and go to heaven for eternity.
“He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Mark
10:39).
ELDERS
Mike Childers..............397-6453
Dennis Hallmark .........255-5557
Mark Hitt.....................322-0917
Bobby Lindley.............260-9193
DEACONS
Wade Bryan.................419-5552
William Harris.............416-8149
Ricky Lindsey .............255-8136
Jeff Mansel..................871-0357
Jimmy Spearman.........840-8957
Michael Wilson ...........891-0891
PREACHER
Barry Kennedy ... (931)787-7108
SECRETARY
Renee Childers
Office...........................842-6116
Fax...............................842-7091
E-MAIL
eastmaincoc38804@gmail.com
WEB PAGE
eastmaincoc.com
SUNDAY SERVICES
Worship....................... 9:00 a.m.
Bible Classes............. 10:15 a.m.
Worship..................... 11:15 a.m.
Singing or Devotional
Last Sunday of the Month
MID-WEEK
SERVICES
Wednesday Classes .....7:00 p.m.
EAST MAIN CHURCH OF CHRIST
1606 East Main Street
P. O. Box 1761
Tupelo, Mississippi 38802
“Thou shalt observe to do all that they inform thee”
(Deut. 17:10)

2.
Do I Survey the
Wondrous Cross?
Barry Kennedy
The story is told of a father and his teenage
son having a conversation while coming home from
their worship services. The father informed his son
about how disappointed he was that his son was not
singing during the song service. The son responded
that the songs they used in worship were “boring
and out of date.” The father, trying to silence his
teen, encouraged his son to write his own songs if
he could do better. The father vowed, if he did then
they would use his sons’ songs in worship. With
this challenge leveled, the young man began to
write religious songs and continued to do so for
over two years. One of the songs he composed is
“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” The young
man’s name was Isaac Watts.
1
Look through your
song book sometime and consider how many songs
we sing which were written by Isaac Watts.
It has been said that the song “When I
Survey the Wondrous Cross” is the first time that
the personal pronoun “I” was ever used in worship
songs. True or not, the profound meaning of these
words should touch the heart of every Christian
both now and forever. Notice the first verse: “When
I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince
of glory died, my richest gain I count but loss and
pour contempt on all my pride.” Can we actually
“survey” the cross, contemplating all that goes
along with that death, and come away proud of our
own accomplishments (Luke 17:10; Galatians 3:13;
1 Peter 2:24)? The cross was an instrument of death,
reserved for the vilest of criminals. “The
punishment was meted out for such crimes as
treason, desertion in the face of the enemy, robbery,
piracy, assassination, sedition, etc.”
2
This is the
death our Prince of glory chose to suffer.
“Therefore, doth the Father love me, because I lay
down my life, that I may take it again. No one taketh
it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have
power to lay it down, and I have power to take it
again. This commandment received I from my
Father” (Luke 10:17, 18). This sacrifice is the
greatest expression of love that has ever been
displayed. It is impossible to show more love than
accepting death for another’s crime/sin (John
15:13).
We live in a nation where the “sky is the
limit” when it comes to opportunities for
advancement. However, when we truly survey the
death of Jesus, pride is turned into contempt.
Contempt is the result of realizing that our sins put
Jesus on that cross. Everything that we are and hope
to become revolves around God and His sacrifice.
“For in Him we live, and move, and have our
being” (Acts 17:28). The question is, do we count
our richest gains as a loss, when compared to all
that Christ has said and done? Where our treasures
are determines where our hearts are going to be
focused (Matthew 6:21).
Isaac Watts was having a hard time in his
teen years finding the heart and focus needed to
worship God acceptably (John 4:24). The changes
he made were not self-indulgent, but more of an
attempt to give heart to his worship and adoration to
the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It only takes a
few moments of serious contemplation of the lyrics
Mr. Watts penned to see that Christ and not Mr.
Watts, was his true focal point. When we choose to
survey that wondrous cross, on which our Lord
suffered for six long hours, endured
shame/humiliation, bled profusely, and eventually
died, we are left with no choice to say, “I count my
gain but loss.”
God chose this plan of redemption in order
that you and I might choose the right path and live
(Matthew 7:13-14). Jesus said, “I am THE way,
THE truth, and THE life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). On which path are
we? Survey the wondrous cross and see if it does
not change you and your attitude toward
worshipping the Almighty God.
References
1
“A Song is Born” by Robert Taylor, p. 213.
2
“ISBE” E-Sword electronic Bible program.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Visitation Team #4
Visitation Team #4, Mike Ratliff’s team, will meet
briefly after services in Room 10 this Sunday, April
28. There will be no meal.
Community Outreach Item
for March:
Washing powders or liquid
May 2019
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
Noel Geno
Community
Outreach @
6:30 pm
Ezra 1-2
2
Sr. Adult
fellowship
@ 6 pm
Ezra 3-4
3
Maywood
Christian Camp
Bake Sale
Ezra 5-6
4
Age 20s & 30s
fellowship @
Tuckers
Ezra 7-8
5
Visitation team #2
Area Youth
Meeting @
Nettleton
Ezra 9-10
6
Debbie Vines
Nehemiah 1-2
7
Nehemiah 3-4
8
Chelsea Wynne
LuAnne & Paul
Funderburk
Nehemiah 5-6
9
Ladies’ fellowship
@ 6 pm
Nehemiah 7
10
Jake Donald
Barbara Wright
Nehemiah 8
11
Tammy Hughes
Nehemiah 9-10
12
Maggie Minor
Summer Smith
Larry & Suzanne
Long
Nehemiah 11-12
13
Dolline Gibson
Nehemiah 13
14
Scotty Bishop
Esther 1-2
15
Lela Wynne
Aaryn Vines
Esther 3-4
16
Jalon &
Katherine
Mansel
Esther 5-7
17
Roger & Lynn
Sanderson
Esther 8-10
18
Melvin & Debbie
Duke
Job 1-3
19
Mike Childers
Lauren Lindley
Ricky Lindsey
Anna Mae Huggins
James & Sandra
Simmons
Eddie & Jeannie
Simmons
High School
Graduates’
Luncheon
Nursing Home
Singing
Job 4-7
20
Annie Martin
Mark & Carrie
Hitt
Job 8-10
21
William & Marla
Harris
Job 11-14
22
Avery Gilliland
Brooke Roby
Job 15-17
23
Job 18-19
24
Zan Roby
Hattie Sheffield
Harold & Zan
Roby
Job 20-21
25
Cannon
Funderburk
Job 22-24
26
Gail Geno
Visitation Team #4
Job 25-28
27
Sr. Youth Devo.
Job 29-31
28
Katie Bates
Job 32-34
29
Ryan Oliver
Job 35-37
30
Marlon & Gail
Geno
Job 38-39
31
Job 40-42

3.
Daily Bible Reading
May 1...............................................................Ezra 1-2
May 2...............................................................Ezra 3-4
May 3...............................................................Ezra 5-6
May 4...............................................................Ezra 7-8
May 5.............................................................Ezra 9-10
May 6......................................................Nehemiah 1-2
May 7......................................................Nehemiah 3-4
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Birthdays: Noel Geno (May 1), Debbie Vines
(May 6). Anniversaries: None this week.
Our Sick
Betty Long was taken to the ER Sunday with
chest pains. She had 5 stints put in Monday. Jean
Mounce was moved to the Eupora Hospital Friday
for 2 weeks of therapy. Nancy Haywood is back at
the Tupelo Nursing Facility. Evelyn McEwen, Mary
Ann Wallace’s mother, has been moved to the
Sanctuary Hospice House. Sarah Grubbs, Mark Hitt
& Lori Sheffield’s grandmother, and Jill Rice,
Debbie Vines, mother, are both at the Sanctuary
Hospice House. Bobby Goff, Patsy Nichols’
brother, is home from the hospital for now. He’ll
undergo bypass surgery soon. Steve Kelly continues
to recuperate from foot surgery. Marlon & Gail
Geno’s great-granddaughter, Penny Lane, is home
from LeBonheur.
On-Going Illnesses
Laverne Raper, Frankie Estes, Donny Dulaney,
Adam McCurley, Linda McCurley, Mary Jordan,
Bretta Robinson, James Goddard, Bill Goff, Tommy
Goff, James Nichols, Sheba Tuggers, Sherry Gregory,
Nathan Hale, Leroy Brown, Jadon Parish, Carol
Nichols, Jerry Smith, Mitch Maclean, Lee Graham,
Randy Groover
Nursing Homes/Assisted
Living
Nancy Haywood, Randy Attaway, Shirley
McCarthy, Mary Southern, Veona Harris
Community Outreach
Program
The Community Outreach Program will meet this
Wednesday, May 1 at 6:30 p.m. to prepare the blessing
bags for area schools.
Sr. Adult Fellowship
The Sr. Adult fellowship will be held this Thursday,
May 2 at Hardin’s Country Store beginning at 6:00 p.m.
The bus will leave the building at 5:45.
20s & 30s Age Group
The 20s and 30s age group are invited to Zac &
Savannah Tucker’s home this Saturday, May 4 from
5:30-7:00 p.m. A food list is posted beside the tract rack
in the foyer.
Maywood Christian Camp
Bake Sale
The annual bake sale for Maywood Christian Camp
will be held at Walmart in Hamilton, AL this Friday,
May 3. Boxes are provided on the table in the foyer.
Hilda will be meeting someone in Fulton Friday morning
with East Main’s cakes and cookies, so please have them
at the building by Thursday evening. They are taking
monetary donations as well.
Ladies’ Days
There are several ladies’ days taking place this
Saturday, May 4:
• at Ackerman with Debbie Kea speaking on “Faith
in the the Home” from 8:30 a.m.-noon; breakfast
& lunch provided.
• at Christian Chapel in Amory with Bailey White
speaking on “Growing in God’s Grace” with
registration beginning at 8:30 p.m.; brunch
provided.
• at Southaven with Amy Collum speaking on
“Encouraging One Another in Our Walk in Christ”
with registration beginning at 8:45 a.m., lunch will
be provided.
Mark Your Calendar
East Main’s VBS June 2-5

4.
Go Into All the World
“IN CHRIST ALONE...”
June 7th-8th
Please register at eastmaincoc.com ASAP!
Speakers: Eric Owens, Joe Wells, Jonathan Bates & Harrison Moran
This camp is for ages 13-22 and is being hosted by the East Main Church of Christ, 1606 East
Main St., Tupelo, MS 38804. Please see Josh or Barry Kennedy for more information.
Men to Serve Sunday, May 5, 2019 a.m.
Announcements.......................................Jeff Mansel
Bible Reading......................................Jake Kennedy
Opening Prayer ..............................Roger Sanderson
Lord’s Supper
Bobby Joe Lindley & Hugh Scribner
Serve Congregation, East Side:
Chad Willis, Ian Willis, Aaron Willis
Serve Congregation, West Side:
Grady Vines, Robert Parker, Greg Lyle
Lead Singing....................................James Simmons
Closing Prayer................................... Terry Kingsley
Ushers ..........................Andy Baldwyn & Joe Minor
Please meet in the library by 8:45 a.m.
Sunday Afternoon
Opening Prayer ............................ Rommie Dilworth
Closing Prayer..........................................Will Davis
Lead Singing........................................ Wade Bryan
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Prayer..................................................Josh Kennedy
Lead Singing....................................Michael Wilson
Contact Wade Bryan (419-5552) if unable to serve.
The elders kindly request that men leading in public
worship wear the best dress clothes they have.
Greeters .............................. Mike & Renee Childers
....................... Bobby Joe & Brenda Lindley
Prepare Lord’s Supper—May..........................James
& Sandra Simmons
Nursery............................... Carrie Hitt & Addie Hitt
Pantry.................................................................Jelly
Attendance & Contribution
Mid-Week, 4-24-19..............................................158
Sunday 1st
Worship, 4-28-19 ...............................186
Sunday Bible Class ..............................................189
Sunday 2nd
Worship.............................................174
Contribution (budget $7,900)..........................$7,057