Dear family, brethren, and friends,

On the Lord’s Day Jack Jaco took Kevin to preach at Victorias City in the morning and to Bago City in the afternoon where Shem Tapagan labors in the gospel (where two precious souls yielded to Christ in baptism).  Jonathan and I went to the Talisay City church where Bob Senining preaches and assembled with 45 people.  My first sermon was “God Created All Things,” emphasizing God’s sovereignty in the universe and in human life.

Effectively utilizing background information in the Passover Feast, Jonathan presented a thorough study of the Lord’s Supper at Talisay.  After lunch Jonathan taught on differences between the Law of Moses and the gospel of Christ, followed by my lesson on “The Purpose of Our Lives.”  We then conducted an hour-long open forum covering questions about the two covenants, giving into the church treasury and individual benevolence, God’s willingness to forgive all sins including adultery, the spiritual state of the Gentile world during the Mosaic Age, drinking intoxicants, divorce, and other interesting topics.

It was a fruitful day at Talisay which ended with the conversion of 6 souls who wanted to be baptized into Christ.

A two-day preacher training series at a function room on “How to Study the Bible” began Monday hosted by Jack Jaco in Victorias City.  As a guide everyone was given a workbook by that title published by Truth Publications.  The teachers are Kevin, Jack, Jonathan, and myself.  On this first day 61 of us gathered to consider “The Bible: A Book to Study,” “Can We Understand the Bible?”, “Reasons for Bible Study,” “Preparing the Heart,” “Improper Attitudes and Methods of Study,” Rightly Dividing the Word,” “Nailed to the Cross,” and “The Context of a Passage.”  I taught the first two topics and the other teachers covered the next six.

Participants came from all age groups, and, as typically happens, men from denominations heard about the classes and wanted to attend.  A Baptist preacher was so impressed with the studies that he announced his plan to teach the workbook we are using at his church in spite of the fact that the biblical material in the book deviates from Baptist doctrine on significant points.  We learned that some men who intended to come were hindered by rising rivers in rural areas as a result of recent heavy rainfall.

I missed walking last night because I tried to take a short nap at 9:00 and woke up at 10:30 to find it was raining again.  Tonight Kevin and I ate as soon as we returned to the hotel, then I caught up on some work.  At 9:00 I headed out for a 5 mile walk basking in the bold brilliant beautiful light of the moon in its waning gibbous phase when it is almost 100% visible.  This will help my waning stamina which is not 100% visible, after a good night of sleep!

Our attendance on Tuesday reached 71 as Jonathan taught “Read All the Bible Says” followed by my session on “Word Studies and Translations” and Kevin’s class on “The Historical Context.”  Next, Jack covered the chapter entitled “When the Lord Says Nothing” and I finished the series with “Interpreting Figurative Language.”

During the open forum there was a question about the doctrine that it is a sin to divide the fruit of the vine into individual containers for the Lord’s Supper, based on the claim Jesus required the use of only one “cup.”  We reviewed the definition of “cup” in Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament which explains it is “metonymy of the container for the contained, the contents of the cup.”  Also in Matthew 26:27-29 when Jesus “took the cup,” he called it “this fruit of the vine” – i.e., the cup is the fruit of the vine, not a certain container.  We all share one cup when we all drink grape juice regardless of how many containers are utilized.

Next, in Luke 22:17-20, in preparing to teach his disciples how to observe the Lord’s Supper, Jesus first said concerning “the cup,” “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.”  He did not mean for them to divide a certain container into pieces but to divide a portion of grape juice to each man.  Then, he proceeded to teach them to eat the bread and drink the cup in memory of him.  Notice, they had already divided it before they drank it!  In 1 Corinthians 11:26 we learn it is God’s will that we “drink this cup” until the Lord returns, not meaning we will swallow a container but, again, by metonymy the container for the contents.  Last, if Jesus referred to a particular container held in his hand, we must find and use only that same container – the so-called “holy grail”!

Everyone was satisfied with our two days of study and there were many expressions of appreciation for the time and lessons we shared.  I thanked our audience for their faith and their devotion to God’s Word, which inspires my faith and devotion and thus helps me get to heaven.

We rushed from Victorias City to the wharf in Bacolod City to catch a ferryboat to Iloilo City on the island of Panay.  It was 8:00 P.M. when Bob Senining dropped us at the hotel there.  Kevin and I finished eating at 9:00.  After working for an hour, I went to the exercise room for two hours, worked another hour, talked with Donna, and then enjoyed a peaceful rest for the next 5 ½ hours.

How greatly God is blessing us with all of these wonderful opportunities to teach His Holy Word to people who are hungry to learn more about Him and the way of salvation.  We rejoice in knowing they will now teach what they have learned to many others and God’s Word will not return unto Him void!

The moon was beautiful again last night, and it reminded me again of many loved ones at home who are seeing the same beautiful creation of God!

In Christian love,
Ron Halbrook

To see good Bible study material, go to:
https://www.hebronlane.com
https://biblework.congregateclients.com
https://truthbooks.com
https://www.truthmagazine.com