Bridge Street Church of Christ

06/08/2026

05/10/2026

BEHOLD I THOUGHT
2 Kings 5:11 “But Naaman was furious and went away and said, ‘Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’” Naaman was a mighty and victorious soldier. One battle that he was not going to win was a personal one with leprosy. A captive servant girl is the hero of this story. It was her faith and compassion that led to finding the prophet of God who would cure Naaman. The prophet, Elisha, sent word for Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River. That unusual act was the key to his recovery. It was an act of faith. When Naaman received the word about what he was to do, he went ballistic. This is where our verse is found.
The angry Naaman expected three things to happen. He expected Elisha to show up. He didn’t. He sent a messenger. He expected him to call upon the name of His God in some dramatic fashion. That didn’t happen. He expected Elisha to wave his arms and make the healing a huge event. He didn’t do that. He didn’t even show up. A messenger came. The word was to dip in the dirty Jordan River seven times. There was no fanfare about that. This wasn’t the way Naaman expected. In a classic statement, he says, “Behold, I thought.” He thought he had figured out how God would cure him. He thought he knew what would be done. It wasn’t the way he thought it would be. The news was disappointing. He became angry.
Folks are still “Beholding I thought,” today. One area, especially this time of the year, that so many “think”, is for a church to simply hand out money to any and everyone who wants some. It typically happens this way. A phone call is made to the church building. A stranger on the line needs help paying rent, light bill, Christmas shopping for grandkids or something like that. They belong to no church. They have never visited the place that they are calling. They have a phone book opened and are randomly calling church after church. The preacher on the other end kindly explains that the church doesn’t just randomly hand out money, especially to strangers, and especially to those who have no connection to the church. Banks don’t do that. Businesses don’t do that. Free money without no strings attached, sounds wonderful. The New Testament has a pattern for what is to be done with the collected contribution. It goes to specific places and people. That pattern is just as important as any other pattern in the Bible. Those thoughts are too foreign and too deep for a person looking for free money. When they find out that it’s not going to happen, they either hang up and go on to calling the next church listing in the phone book, or they get mad. They lecture the preacher on the other end of the phone about Christian duty, even though they have very little understanding about what a Christian is. “Behold I thought…” They thought they knew what a church ought to do. They thought they had God figured out. In their way of thinking, God established the church so people in trouble can come and get free money, without any obligations and commitment and go on their way. Even the Salvation Army makes folks listen to a sermon before they get a free meal.
This, “Behold, I thought,” mentality continues on in other areas. Bring up the sensitive subject of divorce, and every “Behold, I thought,” person comes out of the woodwork. Sweet, mild mannered senior citizens get all fired up if the discussion doesn’t go the way “they think it should.” Bizarre situations, complicated messes and twisted relationships are thrown out on table to be looked at and analyzed in a Bible class. The folks bringing up these sad stories already have a “behold, I thought,” conclusion in their minds. They are wanting affirmation and confirmation of something going on in their families. They are wanting a USDA stamp of approval that Junior can marry once again, for the tenth time, to the love of his life, who has only been married eight times before. The “Behold I thought,” crowd makes loud assertions and sometimes even threatens to leave, if someone would dare say that Junior shouldn’t be getting married. “Behold, I thought…”
The “behold, I thought,” is found in most of us at one time or another. We have heard things, read things, been taught things, assumed things and come with a past, baggage and a load of I think so’s. Most times, once someone is carefully shown things in the Bible, I hear people saying, “I never thought about that before.” They assumed the “Behold, I thought,” was the way it is. When shown, the “behold, I thought,” now becomes, the “Behold, I know.” This is the way to deal with thoughts, assumptions, ideas and concepts that people carry. Open the Bible up. Show them. Take them on a Biblical journey and let them see what the Bible truly teaches. Some get mad. Naaman did when he didn’t get the news he wanted. Some, especially, those with an honest and good heart, will see, learn and change their tune. It will no longer be, “behold, I thought.” It now becomes, “The Bible says.” Their confidence stands where it ought to, upon the word of God.
Naaman finally got cured. The message didn’t change. His stubbornness did. We cannot change the message because people do not like it or they get mad. We cannot change the message because someone thought it ought to be something else. It doesn’t work that way. The word of God never changes. It’s us who must change. That Syrian officer had to travel to the Jordan River and get in it and dip not once, but seven times. When he did, his leprosy went away. He was cured. God knows what He is doing. Listen to God. Follow God.
Biblical ignorance is nearly epidemic today, both in and out of the church. Folks simply do not know the Bible. They “think” they do. They say things that sound “Biblical,” but what they say can’t be found in the word of God. The solution? Open the book. Serious studies of the Bible, more time spent reading it as it is written, letting the Bible form and shape our thinking, that’s the hope and that’s the challenge before us.
Behold I thought, or, this is what the Bible says. Often those two are not the same. Let’s speak as the oracles of God. --Roger Shouse

04/19/2026

LESSONS FROM THE FEW WORTHY AT SARDIS

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”’” (Rv.3:1-6).

In this text, we learn that, despite their good “name,” the church at Sardis was, for the most part, “dead” (v.1). They were called upon to “repent,” or face the judgment of Christ (v.3). Yet, as dire as the situation was in the church at Sardis (one of the seven churches of Asia), Christ still walked among them (cf. 1:12-13,20) – their relationship with Him was NOT YET severed! The severing of the relationship is pictured when their “lampstand” (church, cf. 1:20) is removed from “its place” (i.e. with Christ, cf. 2:5). That time was definitely coming (3:3), but was not here yet.

However, in this midst of this dead church, there was “a few names… who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy” (v.4). The fact that they “have not defiled their garments,” and are “worthy,” clearly shows that they are in an acceptable relationship with Christ! There may come a point in time when they must “come out from among them and be separate” (2Cor.6:14-18) – but that time had not yet come! There are several lessons that we can learn from this situation.

1. My relationship with God is personal and individual. I chose whether or not I will serve Christ. I choose whether or not to be baptized. I choose whether or not I will be faithful. No man or church can form my relationship with Christ; and no man or church can sever my relationship with Christ (Jn.10:27-29). It is up to me to decide what I will do; and God will judge me accordingly. If I am faithful, He accepts me; if I am not, He rejects me (2Cor.5:10).

2. My relationship with God is not determined by the church. In the case of Sardis, many (if not most) of the members were in need of repentance – yet there were “worthy” ones among them! This truth helps us to see the local church for what it truly us. “The church” (universal or local) does NOT save me, Christ does (Ep.5:23). Being “in the church” does not make me a faithful Christian any more than being “in a henhouse” makes me a hen! In fact, I might be right with God, even when the local church is wrong with God! (cf. Rv.3:1-6)

3. My service and worship do NOT depend on the church. Look again at the situation in Sardis. Were those few worthy still Christians? Were they still faithful? Could they still serve Christ? Could they still worship Christ? More specifically, could they eat the Lord’s Supper? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding “YES!” – because that is exactly what these Christians were doing – and doing with Christ’s approval!

Thankfully, over the last few weeks, some brethren have been forced to re-think the proper role of the local church in our relationship with God. It is one thing to say that God wants us to be part of a faithful local church, so that we may work and worship together. It is quite another thing to say that the local church establishes the legitimacy of our work and worship. The first statement is taught in the Bible; the second is not.

--Lanny Smith

03/27/2026

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03/22/2026

03.22.2026
Satan Has Asked For You

“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.’ But he said to Him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.’ Then He said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.’” (Lk.22:31-34). We often read this passage as though it were an isolated incident in the life of Peter, with no application for us. Yet, I believe that there are greater lessons to be learned, which can greatly help us in our walk with Jesus. Let’s consider this text, and the lessons to be gleaned from it!
1. Satan must ask permission before he can attack us (“Satan has asked for you”). This is exemplified not only here, but also in the book of Job (chps.1-2). This tells me that, ultimately, God is in charge. Satan can ONLY do what God allows Him to do. But this raises another question: Why does God allow Satan to do anything at all? And the answer is found in “free will” – the idea that God has given us the ability to choose. We are not pre-programmed robots; instead, we are beings with the ability to choose (Josh.14:15). However, there is a catch: we are responsible for those choices! God tries to influence our choices by appealing to our intellect through His word (Ac.17:1-4). And Satan tries to influence us by appealing to our fleshly lusts (Lk.4:1-13; cf. 1Jn.2:15-17). But WE cast the deciding vote! Knowing that Satan must ask God first, reassures me that, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1Cor.10:13).
2. Satan can turn our lives upside down (“that he may sift you as wheat”). Sifting is a violent process, whereby the wheat is agitated in order to separate the grain from the chaff. When Satan is sifting us, he is violently agitating our lives, to see if there is any “chaff” – i.e. bad things that he can exploit to ruin us! On the positive side, God can use that same sifting process to bring out the “good part.” And once again, WE cast the deciding vote! However, the whole process is violent, and our lives can literally be turned upside down by this “sifting.” This is one reason there is so much suffering in the world. But forewarned is forearmed! We know that the trials of life are part of the sifting process that we must endure – a process that can either make or break us (Jm.1:12-16).
3. Christ prays for us, to help avert failure (“But I have prayed for you”). This text is a specific application of a more general principle: “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hb.7:25). As Christ prayed for Peter, so He prays for each of us! Since He knows us better than we know ourselves, it is very comforting to know that He is praying for us. Not only does Christ intercede, but “the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rm.8:26- 27). Just think of it! TWO Divine beings praying for us! Indeed, “if God is for us, who can be against us” (v.31). God gives us every possible advantage in our struggle with Satan. But once again, WE cast the deciding vote! With free will, God may teach, persuade, beg, appeal, and even pray. But ultimately, WE must make the right choice.
4. Our salvation includes returning to God (“when you have returned to Me”). Yes, God plays a role in our salvation, for He sent Jesus, and gave us His word. But WE must accept Jesus, and obey His word (Jn.12:48)! This principle is true in our initial salvation (cf. Ac.2:38, “repent”), as well as our ongoing salvation (Ac.8:22; cf. 1Jn.1:7-9). In Peter’s case, it seems that Jesus foreknows how this will turn out. I also believe He is capable of knowing how OUR situation will turn out. So, what does He foreknow about YOU? Will you return? Or will you ultimately fall away beyond all hope (Hb.6:4-6)? Only you and God know for sure!
--Lanny Smith

03/18/2026

All are welcome to our Wednesday night Bible Study at 6:00 pm.

03/18/2026

The Catholic Church
Introduction:
• Recently we received an e-mail asking us to present a lesson on the Catholic Church. This religious organization has a membership of several hundred million worldwide, so we will certainly have contact with its members.
• So what is the origin of this church and what are its main beliefs?
Body:
I. Origin
• There is no specific date or location for the Catholic Church. Some give its date as 606 A.D. when Boniface III was elected the first pope. Acts 2:1 “Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” Acts 2:14 “But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, ‘Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.” Acts 2:41-42 “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:47 “praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” NKJV
• According to: A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, there can be no Roman Catholic Church without a pope.
II. The Pope
• The pope is called the “Bishop of Rome”, “Vicar of Christ”, and the “Visible Head of the Church.”
• Note the following quote:
“. . .in matters of jurisdiction [the pope] enjoys supreme, universal and immediate jurisdiction over the whole Church and every member of it. This supremacy is not given by the cardinals who elect him, but immediately by God. The Pope is the Church’s supreme and infallible teacher, its supreme legislator, and its supreme judge.” (Bertrand Conway, The Question Box, San Francisco: Catholic Truth Society, 1929, p.158).
• There is no authority in the New Testament for a pope or universal bishop. Each congregation had two or more bishops. They had no authority over any other church. Acts 14:23 “So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” NKJV
• Contradiction to the prior statement –
The Catholic Church believes Peter was the founder of the church
and was its first Pope. “A Catholic Dictionary”
• Based partly upon Matthew 16:16-18, Jesus clearly distinguishes between Peter and his confession. There are two different Greek words used. Christ’s church was founded upon the fact that ‘Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’ Matthew 16:16-18 “And Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” NKJV
• Jesus is the foundation, not Peter. I Corinthians 3:11 “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” NKJV
III. Priests
• Catholic priests are called “Father”. Matthew 23:9 “Do not call anyone on earth your father; ‘for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” NKJV
• Priests are treated as mediators between God and man. I Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” NKJV
• Marriage is prohibited for priests. I Timothy 4:1-3 “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.” NKJV
• Peter was married. Matthew 8:14 “Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.” NKJV, I Peter 5:1 “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:” NKJV
IV. Worship of Mary
• This began sometime around the fourth century.
• Mary is considered to be a co-redeemer. Galatians 3:13 “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us(for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on the tree’), NKJV
• She is believed to be a perpetual virgin. Matthew 13:55-56 “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” NKJV
V. Mass
• Christ is sacrificed over and over. It is his literal body and blood at each mass. The New Testament teaches that He was offered only once. Hebrews 9:28 “So Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” NKJV
• Also I Corinthians 11:24-26 “and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” NKJV Jesus was physically with them, not his literal body and blood!
VI. Purgatory
• “The place and state in which souls suffer for a while and are purged after death, before they go to heaven, on account of their sins.” This allegedly gives people a second chance.
• Read Hebrews 9:27. “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,” NKJV Also read an account of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31.
VII. Authority
• Catholicism states, “not all truths revealed for us by God are found in the Bible, some are found only in Devine Tradition. By Divine Tradition is meant the revealed truths taught by Christ and His Apostles, which were given to the Church only by word of mouth and not through the Bible, though they were put in writing, principally by the Fathers of the Church. Divine Tradition must be believed as firmly as the Bible because it also contains the word of God.” (Ibid) A Catechism of Christian Doctrine
• The Bible teaches that the New Testament is the final and complete revelation from God. Jude :3 “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” NKJV, Galatians 1:6-9 “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you let him be accursed. As we have said before, do now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” NKJV
Invitation:
• We have shown in this lesson that the Roman Catholic Church is not the church founded by Christ in the first century.
• Also, we have seen that many of its teaching contradict God’s Word.
• The good news is that the one church of which Christ is the head, is in existence today and you can be a part of it.
Bobby Stafford