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Past Articles – Messages of encouragement and information |
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And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions." (Lk 12:42-44) A steward is one who has been entrusted with something that is not his or her own. A steward is to care for what has been entrusted to him, to use it for the Master's benefit, to treat it with the same respect due the Master who entrusted it to the steward. There are many kinds of stewards, in and out of the church. Paul called himself a steward of the mysteries of God. (1 Cor 4:1) Elders are stewards of God's heritage, the church. (Tit 1:9) All Christians are stewards of the gifts that God has entrusted to each one of us. (1 Pet 4:10) As stewards, we will give account to our Master of our spiritual stewardship. We are also stewards of the many physical things God has given to us. It does not matter if it is something He has given us for our homes, or for our congregational home. We are stewards; we are treat it with the respect due the One who has given it to us. The work that has been done in our meeting house is absolutely beautiful. We are been blessed to have been able to undertake the remodeling. It is a stewardship entrusted to us - to each one of us. As His family, we need to be careful how we treat God's entrusted-to-us gift. We need to treat it with the respect due a gift from God. Parents, please be mindful of your children and their snacks. Wrap your "ABC" (already been chewed) gum in paper and put it in the trash, not the book rack, or the card rack, or under the pew. It's amazing what you can find left behind after cleaning the pews! Together, we can help ensure that the efforts put into beautifying our meeting house will last for many, many years. Together, we can demonstrate ourselves to be good stewards of the heritage that God has given to us. Until next time. . .
Looking at the first few chapters of the book of Acts, we find reference to the phenomenal growth of the early church: Acts 2, "about three thousand souls" added; Acts 4, "the number of the men came to be about five thousand;" Acts 5, "multitudes of men and women, were constantly added;" Acts 6, "increase greatly." Was this phenomenal growth because the church was new and different? Perhaps that had something to do with it. New things are always exciting for a while. Was it because God was working through various people with signs and wonders? Perhaps. We do know that God used signs and miracles to confirm His word. (Mk 16:20) But in conjunction with these kinds of things, there was another indispensable ingredient - the "me-factor." Without the active involvement of the people who made up the church, the church would not have grown as it did. Christians were spreading the good news of salvation in Jesus alone. Today, we talk about everyone being involved in evangelism in this way or in that way. But when the dust clears, we - the church - are not doing as much as we are talking about doing. The "me-factor" is in short supply. That "indispensable ingredient" of active involvement too often is lacking in the church today in too many places. Is the "me-factor" in short supply with us? Consider for a moment what the church would be like if every member was just like you. Their pattern of worship is just like yours. Their pattern of giving is just like yours. Their prayer life is just like yours. Their participation in the activities of the congregation is just like yours. Would there be Sunday evening or Wednesday meetings, or gospel meetings? Would the contribution pay the electric bill, let alone support gospel endeavors here or elsewhere? Would there be anyone to teach Bible classes? Would there be anyone to have Bible classes? Would there be any spreading of the good news in our community? The early church grew because it believed in the "me-factor." The church was actively involved in the work God gave the church to do. It can be the same way today when we recognize our role in the "me-factor." Until next time. . . 8/26/01 - Church Growth: My Church, Not Theirs A zealous golfing student stands poised, addressing the ball on the tee. The instructor checks the stance, the grip, the line up. Then he quietly says to the student, "Be the ball. See the ball leaving the club head, soaring through the air, and landing exactly where you want it to land. Be the ball." The student swings. The ball dribbles off the tee. The instructor, with great patience, says, "Once more. This time, be the ball on this tee." This process could be called "visualization:" visualize yourself doing what you need to do. Or, perhaps it could be called "possessing:" making all the elements yours so that you see yourself are an integral part of it - it is not complete without your involvement. When it comes to the church, both of these concepts are essential to healthy growth of the body of Christ. We must "visualize" ourselves doing what we know we should be doing, and, we need to see the church as "our church" - we are a part of what she is now and what she can be in the future. If our concept of the church is as "their church," or "those people over at the church," we will never be as involved in her life as we could be, as we should be. Sadly, there are too many who view the church as "those people over there." They can be identified by their speech. Typically their references to the church will be cast in the third person plural (they, them) rather than the first person plural (we). When the church meets together, they will be there unless something else - anything else - comes up or might come up. Family, friends, R&R - almost anything takes precedence to meeting with the saints other than on Sunday morning. ("You have to take communion to be faithful.") Their principle associations and close friends are with those who are not part of God's family. The early church saw themselves as the church, the people of God. It was "we are the church." When Christianity caused hardship, they endured it because they knew that their brethren elsewhere were also enduring the same kinds of conflict. (Phil 1:29,30; Heb 10:32-34) They were in it together, for better and for worse. When we see ourselves as an integral part of the church, that it is "our church," we will be more actively involved in helping the church to grow. Until next time. . . 9/2/01 - Church Growth: The Need for Leadership For the church to grow there are several essential ingredients. First, I must recognize my responsibility to God as His child in this congregation. If all the church were just like me, what would this congregation be like? Secondly, I must view the church as my church. If I see the church as something that I do things with from time to time, it will never become very important in my life. And if it is unimportant to me, I will not be a part of the church's growth plan. Another essential ingredient for healthy church growth is leadership. Where a church has elders, shepherds, with a Biblical vision for what the church can be, she is poised to grow. Unfortunately, elders are often times viewed primarily as "conflict resolvers" and "problem solvers." While oftentimes that is one of the more public aspects of their work, it is only a fractional part of their work. Their work is that of shepherds. (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:1-3) They watch over the souls of the flock God has entrusted to them. Their function is to help the church become all that God wants her to be. (Eph 4:11-16) Like the high priests of ancient Israel, they are prevented by death from serving continually. (Heb 7:23) When an elder dies, who will be ready to step in to carry on the work? It is a question that should be on the minds of all who care for not only the church at present, but the church in the future. Young men frequently see the work as undesirable (e.g., "too much responsibility;" "too many problems to deal with") or that they themselves could never be qualified to fill such large shoes in the family of God. Feelings that the work is undesirable may never be overcome. But the feeling that one is inadequate to the work. . . Join the club! Most men who serve as elders have walked down the road of inadequacy. Even Paul expressed his own inadequacy for the work which God gave him. (2 Cor 3:5,6) As one matures in their faith in God, they realize that no one is adequate in and of themselves. Each one needs God's help to carry out whatever work God sets before them - not just shepherds over God's heritage. Let me encourage the young men of Columbus Avenue to dream of their future - as shepherds over this congregation of God's people. Learn to be a shepherd. Until next time. . . 9/9/01 - Church Growth: Personal Responsibility When Isaiah was confronted with an opportunity from God, his reply was, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isa 6:8) His zeal is commendable. But then, he had just been given a glimpse of the majesty and holiness of God. It would be great if most of God's people were like Isaiah. But alas!, we are more like Jeremiah or Moses. When God called these two men to their works, each of them made excuses. (E.g., Ex 4:10; Jer 1:6) God took care of the concerns of both of these men, and they became great servants of God. They finally accepted their responsibility as God's servants. Church growth depends upon the church accepting its individual responsibility to be a servant of God today. Each member accepting his or her own responsibility as a capable and faithful servant of God. When Paul wrote to the brethren in Ephesus, he penned these powerful words: ". . . the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love." (Eph 4:16) Each one of us in the church contributes to the church's growth. It is not the elders' responsibility, nor the preacher's responsibility, nor the deacons' responsibility, nor the Bible school teachers' responsibility. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us in the Columbus Avenue family in Christ. We do not all have the same talents, abilities, or interests. We are not all expected to be doing the same kinds of activities which will be contributing to the church's growth. But, bottom line, we must each be doing what we are able to do. Each one of us must be using whatever it is that God has given to us or whatever opportunity He has set before us individually. The Columbus Avenue church family has the potential for bringing great honor and glory to God. We can be planting the seed of the gospel, encouraging the tender shoots, lending support to the strong mature plants. We can each be doing something that will contribute to the work of the church, and thus, her growth, whether spiritually or numerically. Do you see yourself as a responsible member of this body of Christ? Will you rise to the occasions which God sets before you to demonstrate yourself a worker in His kingdom? Until next time. . . 9/16/01 - Church Growth: What Will We Be? God has a vision for His church. That vision is revealed within the pages of the New Testament as the church grew from its inception on Pentecost. The church is to be a family which looks after its own, reaches out to others with the gospel, and through many good works shows God's love to those who are not yet recipients of His grace. As the church grew, it encountered many challenges to that vision. The various letters that were written called recipients back to that vision, e.g., no division, 1 Cor 1:10; do good to all people, Gal 6:10. That vision comes down to us today. We are blessed to have the benefit of having all of God's revelation relative to the way He wants His church. When Paul wrote to the brethren at Corinth, he pointed them to the Scriptures as a teaching tool for them even in that day. "Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction,..." (1 Cor 10:11) What God wrote previously benefited them. What God wrote to the Corinthians, the Philippians, the Galatians, et al, can benefit us today in the same way. Here at Columbus Avenue, we can see what God wants the church to be. We can read what He sent to the various churches. We can see what others, since the close of the New Testament, have done with that vision. We can see their mistakes and their triumphs. We can see our own history as a people of God, how we have grown and struggled over the years. What will we be in the days and years to come? Every generation of the church must answer that question. Every member of God's family in every congregation must consider their own role in the answer to that question. Will we grasp the vision that God has for the church? Will we succumb to the temptations to dilute that vision? Will we be counted among those who will uphold the vision even when it is unpopular? What will the Columbus Avenue church be in the future? That depends upon you, and me, and each of us who make up this family. It is our call. Until next time. . . 9/23/01 - Church Growth - Who Will Rise Up? What will the Columbus Avenue church be in the future? That depends upon you, and me, and each of us who make up this family. In the future, the church will need capable leadership - men who can shepherd the flock of God, who can faithfully teach and proclaim God's Word. She will need parents who will diligently teach the ways of God to their children, who will counter the humanistic teachings which deny or minimize God and His work that they learn daily in the school systems and in the media. She will need members who are so committed to the gospel that they want everyone to have the opportunity to hear it. She will need members who will stand in the gap and serve God faithfully in any and every way possible. Where will these people come from to do this work? To see the answer to that question, one need only gaze into a mirror. If the person in the mirror before you is not willing to do the work, there is no one to do the work. Columbus Avenue will dissolve into the pages of history. That is not God's vision for His people. From the Revelation, we learn that God can and will remove a congregation's "candlestick" or "lampstand" when they have veered from God's way and refuse to return. (Rev 2:5) But it is not God's vision for His people to atrophy and dry up from a lack of faithfulness. When we look back at our own history, we can see periods where the church was growing and we see periods where the church was waning. Growth comes from the involvement of the congregation in the work of the church. Waning times reflect periods of poor involvement by the congregation. Where are we today? Growing or waning? Where will we be tomorrow? And next year? And in ten years? Who will rise up and accept the work? Who will rise up and lead the church into the future? Who will rise up to encourage our parents, our young people, our new converts, our older members? Who will bow the knee for those who lead the church? Who will bow the knee for our parents, our aged, our growth, our faithfulness, our influence to this community with the gospel of God? Who will rise up to the task? It can only be you and me. Will we? Until next time. . . 9/30/01 - Confidence in God's Work
I read an article this past week that had the following comment in it: "The romantic fantasy of a modern Day of Pentecost will never occur. And, more often than not, people will be offended by biblical confrontation." (The MAC, Vol. 7, Issue 9, p. 1) Many of us who are committed to the gospel dream of having a modern day response like we read of in Acts 2. And at the same time, we have experienced the reality of the gospel's rejection by so many people. For some, that is reason enough to pull into a shell and just be a "people who go to church regularly." Will there be another Pentecost experience for the church? I don't know; God knows. Will there be a time when people are hungry for God's truth rather than for being religious? I don't know; God knows. Whether there will be such times or not should not be the focus of my work. Conversion is God's work, and I am confident that God is able! In the meantime, there is a work for me to do that contributes to the work of God. When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about their division, he had these comments about workers in God's vineyard: "What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth." (1 Cor 3:5-7) Paul's point is that whoever the messenger is simply is not all that important. What matters is the work of God which God is accomplishing when we are doing our part. Does the growth of the church depend upon you and me? Yes, as messengers, but it remains the work of God. We may be quite inept in how we present the gospel, but it is the gospel we present. The gospel is God's power to save. Not our power, but God's power. (Rom 1:16) Therefore, I will put my confidence in God's power to save, not in my meager attempts to tell the old, old story. But tell it I must, and I will. Is your confidence in God's power to save, in His work? Or has it been in your ability? Place your confidence in God, and then do what you are able to do to tell others the goods news of Jesus. Until next time. . . 10/7/01 - Countdown to the Meeting Seven days. . . and counting! Next Lord's Day morning, Joe Jones will be our very special guest. He is coming at the invitation of our shepherds to encourage us as a body of believers to walk closer to God, and to be more involved with the work of God through the church. I hope you are looking forward to it as much as I am! What are you doing to get ready for our meeting? Here are some of the things we can each do in preparation. 1. Pray for Joe. For his work with us, for his safe travel, for his health, for his family during his absence. 2. Pray for the church. For our edification, for our growth, for our renewed zeal, for our work together with God. 3. Anticipate being actively present for each lesson. Arrive early, greet one another, sing joyously, listen attentively, learn graciously. Let our guests know they are special to us. 4. Invite - and bring - your friends to come and learn with you. Though designed for the Columbus Avenue family, Joe will not neglect the needs of the lost to hear the good news of salvation in Jesus. 5. Come by the church building to see if there's anything that needs to be done that you can do to make our facilities as presentable as possible for all our guests. 6. Join the pitch-in next Sunday. Bring enough for you, your guests, and a bit more for others. It's always good to sit and enjoy a meal with our church family. This week will go by very quickly. Don't let our meeting slip up on you. Be ready for it, look forward to it, feast on God's word during it. Let this fall's meeting renew your zeal, reaffirm your commitment, and challenge you to greater involvement in the Lord's vineyard. Until next time. . .
Welcome to the Columbus Avenue church family! Today we are beginning a special series of meetings with Joe Jones, Professor Emeritus from Harding University, Searcy, Arkansas. We are glad each of you has joined us today as we gather together to worship God and to be encouraged in our walk by faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you for being with us today. We invite you to come back for each of these great lessons. A Christian Renewal Experience
Me and You - Because of God
presented by Joe D. Jones Preacher, Teacher, Student of God's Word Searcy, Arkansas
Schedule and Lesson Topics Today, 9:30 a.m. - Our Basic Needs Today, 10:30a.m. - The Uniqueness of New Testament Christianity Today, 6:00 p.m. - The Struggle to Believe Monday, 7:00 p.m. - The Call and Commission of Isaiah Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. - The Church in God's Eternal Purpose Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. - The Biblical View of Heaven
Let this schedule be your schedule this week! It was good to have had Joe Jones with us last week. He promised to do one thing for us and do it well - preach the word. He kept his promise. But not only was his teaching sound Biblically, it was encouraging and challenging. He left us with knowing that each Christian has the responsibility before God to serve God to the best of their ability (not someone else's ability) and to be actively involved in the local church (we work together for God as the body of Christ). One lesson stands out in my mind as a pivotal lesson. (You who missed out on Monday evening's lesson, you really need to get a copy of the tape and listen to it.) We will not see our own need to serve God acceptably (that is, on God's terms) until three things happen in our lives. First, we must marvel at the holiness of God (Isa 6:1-3). God is God(!); we are the created. God is majestic beyond all else; we are the created. When we come to grips with the reality of the majesty of God, we cannot help but see our own sinfulness (Isa 6:4,5). That's the second thing that must happen in our own lives. How often we measure our "sinfulness" by the behavior of others! Joe's comment on that was: we're only comparing shades of black! Sinfulness must be measured against the holiness and majesty of God. If we do not come to grips with the reality of our own sinfulness because of the majesty of God, our service will be relative: how we are serving in comparison to others. The third thing that must happen to serve God acceptably is to submit to His provision for dealing with our sinfulness (Isa 6:6,7). God cleansed Isaiah with coals from the altar; God cleanses people today by their washing in the blood of Christ (Rom 6:3,4). There is no other way! It was not until Isaiah marveled at God's holiness, recognized his own sinfulness, and was cleansed according to God's provision, that he could say, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isa 6:8) We have been challenged to answer God's call to greater service, greater faithfulness, greater involvement in the family of God. What do you need to do to follow Isaiah? Until next time. . . 10/28/01 - Worship in Truth (Introduction) Jesus once told a woman in Samaria that those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:23,24). This likely was not a surprise to her. She knew about God, although she was not Jewish. As a Samaritan woman, she had historical ties to the God of the Jews dating back many, many generations. God expected people to worship and serve Him only in the ways He Himself called for. That statement should not have been a surprise to the Jewish people either. They were the one's to whom belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises (Rom 9:4). Their history was replete with evidence as to how serious God was when He set something before them. The deaths of Aaron's sons as a result of offering fire which God had not commanded would have stood out in their minds (Lev 10). They would remember clearly the account of Achan, who stole the items from Jericho (Josh 7). When Uzzah reached out to steady the cart carrying the ark of God, there was another dramatic reminder that God means what He says and says what He means (2 Sam 6). The early Christians, many having come from Judaism, likewise would have known the seriousness of God's instructions. But there have always been those who have taken it upon themselves to discount what God has said to do. And, according to the Biblical record, God held them all accountable for violating what He had said. When we gather in worship, whether on the Lord's Day or at any of the other times we gather together to honor and praise God and to be strengthened in our walk with God and understanding of God's word, e.g., "mid-week Bible study," it ought to still be clear that we are to do the things God has said in the way that He has said to do them. He has not left us to grope and hope that we do something right. Nor has He spoken simply to hear Himself speak. He has told us explicitly about how we honor Him when we gather together in His name, whether in the "church building" or in some other location. In the weeks to come, this column will be directed towards reminding us of some of what it means to worship God in spirit and in truth. Until next time. . . 11/4/01 - Worship in Truth: God-ward In the past decade or so, there has been a dramatic change in the worship patterns of those who profess faith in God. This is actually an acceleration of a process that has been going on among Christ-professing people for a number of generations as the focus of worship has been changing from being God-focused to worshiper-focused. Some religious groups have begun conducting what they call a "seeker service." The structure of their assembly is designed to be user-friendly, non-threatening, even to being entertaining to those present. Its elements are well choreographed and rehearsed so as to present a professional feel to the events. In their minds, it must be if they are going to successfully compete for their share of the potential audience. This process is not something that is happening only among the denominations. It is happening in the Lord's church in too many places as well. The assembly of the church is being evaluated by its favorable reception in the eyes of those in attendance. Brethren, I submit to you that such an assembly is not worship at all. People are not the focus of our worship - God is! We do not come together for the purpose of feeling better about ourselves, even though we may feel better as a result of having been together. We come together to express our worship to God. When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about their observation of the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11), he could not commend them because they were not there to remember their Lord. Jesus had been given a back seat in their assembly. When people come together today with the primary purpose of experiencing a "moving worship assembly," is it not the same kind of situation? If they are "moved" by the experience, they feel like they have worshiped God. But the fact is they have not worshiped God at all. They have only set their feelings up as the gauge for what they view as worship. Worship is to be God-focused. In order to be God-focused, it must consist of those activities which are in keeping with His revealed will. The question must always be: "Is this what God desires from me as worship?" Never should it be, "How does it make me feel?" Until next time. . . 11/11/01 - Worship in Truth: Son-ward As Jesus met with the Twelve the evening before His death, they were sharing a meal together. During that meal, Jesus took some of their bread, unleavened because of Passover, and as He gave it to them, said, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me" (Lk 22:19). When the early church met together, this memorial was a central focus of their assembly (Acts 20:7). Their worship centered on remembering the role of Jesus in effecting their salvation. Worship is not only God-ward, but Son-ward. When the church gathers together on the Lord's Day, central to our worship is our remembrance of what Jesus has done for us. The inscription on the table in the front of the auditorium, "Do This In Remembrance Of Me," is not just a slogan; it is a purpose statement. The church at Corinth had lost sight of the purpose for partaking of the unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine. As the disciples did the night it was established by Jesus, the church was enjoying a meal as a body. But, as various ones were finishing their meals, they would then eat the Lord's Supper. Such behavior was not acceptable. Paul reminded them of the significance of the Lord's Supper to the entire body (1 Cor 11:23-26). In that reminder, Paul reiterates the message in the Supper: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." When we gather on the Lord's Day to worship God, it is because of what Jesus did on Golgotha that gives all of it significance. We look back at the cross and see the price God paid in order for us to have our sins forgiven. God was, in Christ, reconciling sinners to Himself. Apart from Jesus, there would have been no salvation. Period! But we also look forward to the return of Jesus when He takes His church out of this world at the last trumpet. That will be the consummation of everything that God had planned from before the foundation of the world. The pristine relationship Adam and Eve had with God before their sin will be restored once again - because of Jesus. When we partake of the bread and the wine, our thoughts return to Jesus. Until next time. . . 11/18/01 - Worship in Truth: Outward Our gathering together on the Lord's Day is family time. The church, the family of God (Rom 8:15,16), gathers together in honor of the God who created them and of Jesus who died to redeem them. During that time together - what we generally call "worship" - we do those things which reflect God's worth to us. Of paramount importance in worship is that we do those things which God has revealed to us. Showing worth to God begins with what God has said and not with what we might have chosen to do. Because of this overriding principle, our worship time is not the same as others as doing who also profess faith in God. Those who worship God must worship in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24) or it is not truly worship (cf., Lk 6:46; Lev 10:1,2). It is not uncommon when the family of God has gathered together in honor of God to have several to many present who are not part of the family of God. The church's meetings are not like other organizations whose meetings are "for members only." Some of these organizations may have a time when the nonmembers are welcome, but there are also times when nonmembers are not welcome. There is no part of the church's assembly that is not open to those who are not members of Christ's church. Because of this aspect of our meeting together - the presence of those who are not members - there is a sense in which our worship is not only directed upward to God, but also outward to those who are visiting with us. This direction is not the focus of our meeting, nor does it dictate what we do during our meetings, but it does reflect on the teaching that goes on during our meeting. When Paul wrote to the Corinthian brethren about the Lord's Supper, he reminded them that "as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes" (1 Cor 11:26). The proclamation of the death of Jesus is a central facet of the gospel: Jesus died, was buried and was raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:1-4). That is the church's message daily, including when we are gathered together. When we meet in worship, every visitor who comes our way should be able to leave knowing that we were there because Jesus died to redeem us from our sins. The gospel goes forth because we gathered together for worship. Until next time. . . 11/25/01 - Worship in Truth: The Supper (1)
The observance of the communion, or the Lord's Supper, is a central part of our worship. Through it we are reminded of the great cost of our salvation. Although there are not a lot of passages that deal with the Supper, they are sufficient for us to know what God set for the pattern on how we are to observe it. If we are to worship in truth, we are to observe it according to what God has said. "On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight." (Acts 20:7) This almost insignificant passage reveals a lot about the Supper. The phrase "when we were gathered together to break bread" tells us the purpose for their gathering together. It was not simply a gathering of the church, but a gathering "to break bread." It reveals to us the day of the week on which they gathered together for that purpose: "the first day of the week." Paul had been in Troas for seven days, but they waited until the "first day of the week" to break bread. This is the only Biblical reference to the time-frame when the church observed the Lord's Supper. Christian writings dating from the second century reveal that the first day of the week was the established pattern for partaking of the Lord's Supper. It was appropriate for the early church to have remembered Jesus' death and resurrection on the first day of the week. It was on that day of the week that Jesus rose from the dead (Jn 20). It was that day of the week the gospel of the resurrected Jesus was first proclaimed (Acts 2). That day should have a great significance to God's people because of what happened on that day of the week. Because the Bible tells us the early church keep the memorial of the Lord's death and resurrection on the first day of the week, we continue that same practice. Regardless of their good intentions, those who would choose other days of the week (e.g., Maundy Thursday, weddings, etc.) do so without Scriptural authority. May we always serve according the pattern that God has given us in His word. Until next time. . . |
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