The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
March 4, 2001
In
This Issue:
"Lest
We
Hinder
This
Gospel
Meeting"
by
Greg Tucker
Lest We Hinder This Gospel Meeting
The peerless Paul makes mention of a precious principle in the latter part of I Cor. 9:12 which states, "&ldots;Lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ." I propose that we take this Pauline principle and allow it to serve as a godly guideline in our gospel meeting that begins next week. This article is directed to every member of this congregation. We are not aiming at toes; we are aiming at hearts.
Lest we hinder this gospel meeting let's attend every single service with no deliberate absence by any member. Deliberately forsaking one's own gospel meeting is a serious sin; it has deep ramifications that something is definitely wrong. Inspiration warns us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together in Heb. 10:25. If each service of this gospel meeting is not an assembling together, wherein lies the deficiency? Members who "lay out" of their own gospel meetings are not helpers of the gospel meeting; they are hinderers. If a gospel meeting is a good thing, and it most assuredly is, then James 4:17 defines as sin our refusal to hold up with solid support an evangelistic endeavor like a great gospel meeting.
Lest we hinder this gospel meeting let's be on time for every service. Some people are always prompt because they plan always to be prompt. Others are never on time because they never plan to be on time. The first song is just as much a matter of worship as is the final song, or any in between. The Godhead is always on time both in providence and in redemption. Nature is never a split second slow in its precise functionings.
Lest we hinder this gospel meeting let's enter enthusiastically into all facets of each service. We need to sing in holy harmony with such sentiments as are expressed in Col. 3:16 and Eph. 5:19. We need to enter wholeheartedly into the public prayers and do much private prayer in the closet for the rich success of our meeting. Let's be the finest audience of listeners that Brother Bill Hall has ever addressed. A blessing or a benediction is showered upon one who hungers and thirst after righteousness (Mat. 5:6). Let's allow a warm spirit of fellowship to pervade all our services. This was one of the earliest and noblest of manifested fruits among Jerusalem disciples in Acts 2:42. Let's be extra friendly to all our guests and make them feel welcome and wanted. They honor us by coming, let's honor them in their coming.
Lest we hinder this gospel meeting let's invite others to come and reason with us as Isaiah did in Isa. 1:18. Let us be an Andrew and a Philip and direct others to the Messiah (John 1:40). Let us be like John the Baptist and direct people to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Rev. 22:17 mentions both the Spirit and the Bride (the church) and each says come. The one you invite, the one I invite, might come and later become a Christian. One of the finest ways we can help a meeting is by inviting others to attend.
Lest we hinder this gospel meeting let's place into practice what we learn from lesson to lesson. This is the acid test of every gospel sermon in its overall effectiveness.
Let's do all we can to help - never harm - a great gospel meeting and let's begin with this one!!!
--By Greg Tucker, adapted from The Oneal Reminder, Aug. 2, 1981