"Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word." (Acts 8.4). This is what Luke records in the book of Acts after persecution fell upon the Church. Christians found it necessary to leave their homes, relocate and therefore avoid the evil that had come upon them. In doing this they did not forget God, nor did they forget their duties as Christians, to teach the word to the lost. This week we begin a Gospel Meeting. This is a time when we will gather to hear the word taught, to gain strength and encouragement to continue in the faith, and to remind ourselves of what it means to be a Christian. In preparation for the Meeting there has been much work that has been done. I have taken a look at the announcements that were prepared to invite others to come and study with us. At the present time I believe that well over five hundred of these have been distributed. They have been passed out in the community around the building, given to friends and family and displayed on homes and vehicles. As the week progresses we can continue to invite others. A list of topics to be covered is printed on the announcements and was also on the cover of the bulletin last week. While we have been busy preparing for the week those efforts do not need to end there. There are those that we can still invite, who are still lost and need the Gospel.
All of the members who have helped in inviting others and getting the word out should be commended for this effort. In an e-mail that I received from Mike Davis, who held our Spring Meeting last year, he made the statement that sometimes a Gospel Meeting has come to be more of a lectureship for the members than an effort to reach the lost. In the past there have been those who have commented that inviting others does not really work since there are few that respond to this invitation. God provides some encouragement for us should this be the case.
Ezekiel was appointed as a "watchman" to warn the Hebrews of their need for repentance (Ezek 3.17). In this appointment God told Ezekiel that the warning came from the "mouth" of God. In trying to spread the word of God we may become discouraged when others do not respond in a positive way by attending the services or wanting to start a Bible Study with us. This discouragement may cause us to become reluctant in doing what we need to do. Jeremiah felt the same way at one point in h is life as a prophet. "Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." (Jer 20.9). In his efforts to warn others Jeremiah was mocked (Jer 20.7). Those that he tried to warn did not want to hear that which he preached to them. As he went on however he realized that God's word must be spoken. We must also realize that we cannot make others respond to this invitation. They must do so of their own desire to know and serve God. That is not possible however without the efforts of Christians willing to invite and teach in whatever way we can. Failure to do this is to fail God, those who are lost and ourselves. God stated to Ezekiel, "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand." (Ezek 3.18). Let us continue to invite, teach and encourage as we should this week and every week.
TLC