It Is Over

Our fall gospel meeting with Burt Jones is now history.  So how did the meeting rate?  Was it a success?  Was it marginally successful?  Could it be said it was a waste of time?  Burt was well- prepared, his sermons timely.  Two precious souls were baptized for the remission of their sins.  Three responded, confessing sin and requesting prayers on their behalf.  For those five it was an immense success.  So does that make it successful for the church?

Whenever the gospel is faithfully proclaimed, the effort is successful.  That is what God requires of His children, making the effort to teach people about sin and the provision for salvation made available through Jesus.  The response of five souls to heaven’s invitation certainly makes the effort obviously worthwhile, but a question lingers: were their more souls in need of heeding the invitation call?  How many sat through the worship assemblies, heard the preaching, and needed to act on the invitation?  Did you “stand and sing” knowing you are not right with God, yet did not do what you know you should?  Why?  If so, why wait any longer?

Were you among the number who came each service and worshiped God with the saints?  If you were not, why did you not attend?  What was so important that you did not want to give God the worship He is so deserving of?  What was more important than God in your life last week? We are ask by God to love Him, and are able to only because He first loved us.  His love is plainly seen in the events at Calvary.  He sacrificed (punished, Isaiah 53) Jesus there so we can have life rather than death.  Is that not worth five days out of our lives to worship Him and encourage people to faithfulness?  Jesus surrendered the glories of heaven, emptied himself according to Paul (Philippians 2:5ff) so He could come and serve humanity in His life and death; is that not worth a couple of hours a night for five days?  God worked out His plan for the redemption of men and women throughout the course of ancient history.  He planned it in eternity and executed in time (Ephesians 1:2ff).  In return, He requires we present our bodies as living sacrifices to Him (Romans 12:1ff).  Did you do that last week?

The final question: was the meeting a success or failure for you?  If everyone else participated like you, if everyone else benefited like you, if everyone else supported it like you, how successful would it have been?  How will it be “next time?”

—Denny