Our Gospel Meeting
The time has now arrived for our
gospel meeting. When I first began preaching, “gospel meetings”
such as this one were usually well attended by the members, and visitors from
other congregations came from far and near to hear the gospel preached. They
felt they would hear the gospel of Christ preached clearly, simply and boldly
by a dedicated servant of God. They looked forward to being edified and their
faith strengthened. They even invited their friends who were not members to
come and investigate what was being taught. But this is not the case today.
People are busy with respectable worldly things, things that are not wrong within
themselves, that are often allowed to detract people from “seeking first
the kingdom of God and His righteousness” Matt.6:33.
In this pressurized modern society people are constantly on the go and an opportunity,
such as this one, to attend a gospel meeting falls on tired, relatively uninterested
ears. When people are encouraged to attend the usual response given for not
attending is “Well, I’d like to attend, but I am so busy this week
with _______ (you fill in the blank). So they will not come.
But, should it be this way? Do we not have the same problems today as people
in past decades, maybe more? Doesn’t our age need the insights and guidance
found only in Christ and the word of God? Our day is one of growing tensions
in families, more juvenile (and parental) delinquency, more emphasis on materialism
and sensualism, and rising crime rates. Today there are more broken homes, more
alcoholic and/or dope addicts, more sexual immorality --- and a corresponding
neglect of spiritual matters.
We all need to remember that God has not changed, sin has not changed, and man’s
needs have not changed. In fact, the need for gospel preaching never changes.
People today desperately need to be reminded of the Biblical principles which
apply to every situation in life, just as they did in past years. All of us
need to be reminded of the brevity as well as the end of life and the judgment
to follow. These are reasons enough to come and hear a dedicated, well-prepared
man of God who will preach God’s word each night and apply them to the
problems of our day. So, why not “MAKE TIME” to attend our gospel
meeting for YOUR SAKE?
SO, WHAT WILL THE GOSPEL MEETING DO FOR US? This gospel meeting is not an accident.
It is not just some ritual the
church goes through from time to time, rather it is a genuine effort to supplement
the teaching program of the church here. It is designed to be a concerted effort
to reach out to touch and teach the lost, and build and equip the members of
the church for better service.
In order for the meeting to produce the desired results each member must manifest
great enthusiasm for the meeting, and determine to be present for each and every
service. In addition participate heartily in the singing. During the week talk
up the meeting with your friends and acquaintances, and above all pray for those
you invite. Pray for the preacher that he may be properly prepared to do that
which he has been called to do. So, let’s think about what the gospel
meeting can do for each of us this week.
The gospel meeting can challenge our faith in the power of the gospel to save
souls. Rom.1:16 reveals where the power lies, and 1.Cor.1:21 affirms that preaching
is the method God has chosen to bring the lost to repentance. In this meeting
our faith will be tested by our efforts to bring someone to hear the gospel
preached. If we fail to invite anyone what does that say about our faith in
the gospel to save?
The gospel meeting will give us an opportunity to invite friends and neighbors
who meet elsewhere when the regular services are conducted. This meeting makes
time available that will not conflict with their normal services. The seed must
be planted before it can produce, even so, the heart (the soil into which the
gospel is planted) must be made available. The sower is the preacher, the seed
is the word of God, and the soil is the heart (mind) of a person. The gospel
meeting provides the opportunity for the sower to sow the seed into an honest
heart.
The gospel meeting can strengthen our faith. Faith comes through hearing the
word of God, Rom.10:17. So many worldly things serve to distract us from listening
to God’s word, but here is a way of learning provided by one who has spent
extra time preparing to present God’s word. It will also help us all in
singing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” in praise to God. Read
such passages as 1.Cor.14:15; Eph.5:19; Col.3:16; Heb.13:15 to understand this.
Doesn’t it stand to reason then, that one’s faith will be strengthened
when one attends and applies what is taught?
The gospel meeting can reinforce our hope. All of us need to have reinforcement
from time to time. Hope is the anchor of the soul Heb.6:18-19, and the extended
efforts of the gospel meeting conducted nightly, can provide reassurance to
us that God will do as He has promised. Our desire and expectation, the two
components of hope, will be reinforced by hearing of the faithfulness of God,
1.Cor.1:9; Heb.10:23, as His scheme of redemption unfolds in His Son Jesus Christ.
These are just a few of the things the gospel meeting can do for us, but only
if we let it. It will benefit us only when we put forth a concerted effort to
be present at every service. Get involved. Take advantage of the time provided
for this meeting.
By Thomas Thornhill via Etna Enlightner Vol.1 June 3, 2012 No.17
Return to the General Articles page
Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /