Gospel meeting

In a little over a month, we will hold our spring gospel meeting. Steve Reeves, who preaches in Benton, Illinois, will come and preach a series of lessons. He will speak at all three services on Sunday, April 17th, and every following evening Monday through Friday (April. 18-22) at 7 pm. All are encouraged to attend.

Why are we having this meeting? The gospel of Jesus Christ will be proclaimed each time we meet. We have not invited Steve to come and preach his own ideas about spirituality. We expect that he will only preach the pure word of God (Rom. 1:16). He will do his best to edify the Christians here (Eph. 4:15-16). This edification is why people often refer to these meetings as revivals. By attending, Christians can expect to be revived and stirred up to good works (Titus 2:14)!

Not only will this meeting build up the saints, it will also provide opportunities for members of the community to visit. We can invite our friends and co-workers to hear the gospel (Mark 16:15). Many of our religious friends attend elsewhere and have their own recurring commitments on Sundays and Wednesdays. Meeting every night of the week will create more opportunities for them to visit.

So what can people expect when they attend Monday night through Friday night? First, we will simply welcome those who visit. They will not be “pounced” upon. Bibles will be available for those who do not have one. There will be singing, prayers and a sermon. There will not be a collection taken up as this is done on Sundays for the local church (I Cor. 16:1). 

Visitors will be greeted warmly and encouraged to listen to the message carefully. If they have any questions, they will be welcomed to ask. As Christians, we simply want to go to heaven by doing the will of the Father Please make plans to come and worship with us April 17-22.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Chuck

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever

You may have recognized the title from Hebrews 13:8. This is a great statement and worthy of examination. What did the inspired writer of Hebrews mean by stating that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever? Here are some valuable lessons to learn:

Jesus has not changed

In a world where technology changes faster than we can keep up, the Lord is a constant. He was our Savior yesterday, He is our Savior today and He will continue to be our Savior in the future (Phil. 3:20). Because Christ continues to be the way and the truth and the life, the way unto the Father will never change (John 14:6). Other “prophets” might wrongly teach other paths, but Jesus remains the same!

Jesus’ authority has not changed

Relating to our previous point, Christ has all authority (Matt. 28:18) and will continue to do so. The Father cried out from heaven that we are to listen to His Son (Matt. 17:5). Whatever was done yesterday, is done today and will be done in the future must be by the authority of Christ (Col. 3:17). This power is as much in effect today as it was after His death – the authority does not pass away with time. Recall that the Hebrew writer started off his book by stating that the Father has spoken unto us by His Son in these last days (Heb. 1:2).

Jesus’ words have not changed

The passing of time will never mean that the Lord’s words need to be updated. Jesus Himself told His followers that they would be guided into all truth (John 16:13). This statement assures us that we have all we need – no additional truth needs to be delivered. Moreover, these delivered words of Christ that were here yesterday, today and forever are the words by which we will all judged (John 12:48). As followers of Christ, we should be encouraged by this consistency. We need to value and remember that fact that our Lord and Savior is the same yesterday, today and forever.                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Chuck