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10 Reasons For A Gospel Meeting Introduction: Next week we begin our Gospel Meeting with Sid Latham. Brother Latham comes to us from Indianapolis. His coming to us comes with some expense and time. His job has been to prepare himself for this meeting and preach to the best of his ability. I want us to think of some reasons (purposes or goals) for this Gospel Meeting and see if at the end of the week we have met those goals. I) Top Ten Reasons To Have A Gospel Meeting 10. Nothing good to watch on television 9. I am in between sports right now; might as well go to church 8. Time spent mowing the grass is now over 7. Got a new dress and don’t have any other place to wear it 6. Been grounded and services is the only place I can go 5. Its like death and taxes we just have to have a Gospel Meeting 4. Lit gives our preacher a Sunday off 3. It gives us the chance to hear a real preacher 2. Gives us good excuse to eat out during the week 1. I need the extra sleep II) Ten Real Reasons To Have A Gospel Meeting 10. The encouragement of being around Christians, Hebrews 10.24 a. We will have visitors from other congregations b. In a time when Christians tend to be busy and not have time to be around each other we actually have a week together. 9. Helps me to keep my priorities straight, Romans 14.17 a. Instead of just taking care of the physical man we are taking care of the spiritual (inward) man, Mark 8.34-38 b. Unusual for us to take a week out of our schedules just to worship God but could be more important 8. Opportunity to invite my friends and neighbors to come to services, John 4.39-42 a. Some people will come with a personal invitation b. Are we concerned enough about the souls of others to invite them to come? c. What kind of a crowd would we have if everybody YOU invited came? 7. I like singing songs of praise to God with other Christians, Colossians 3.16 a. In singing we are encouraging, teaching, edifying each other and praising God. b. It value can be seen in passages such as Hebrews 2.12, Acts 16; James 5.13 c. We remember the words long after we finish singing 6. I like praying to God with other Christians, Acts 2.42 a. Through prayer we approach the throne of God with out thoughts and desires b. The church of the first century was a praying church, Acts 12.12 5. Helps me to learn more about God and His word, Acts 11.26 a. Would you have attended the services at Antioch for a whole year? b. The more we learn the better we will be in resisting false doctrine; teaching others the gospel, being pure in our lives; resisting the wiles of the devil 4. Another man gets to build on the foundation, 1 Corinthians 3.11, 4-6 a. Each preacher tends to preach on some of the same subjects but in different ways b. Each preacher tends to teach on some different subjects c. We need different types and styles of lessons and preachers 3. Some sinner may obey the Gospel, Luke 15.7 a. Many of us obeyed the Gospel during a Gospel Meeting b. In fulfilling the great commission, Matthew 28.18ff we are expanding the kingdom of God c. Christians are not bought, fought, but taught 2. Some wayward Christian may come back to the Lord, Acts 8 a. We all know someone who is walking disorderly and needs to come back to the Lord b. Perhaps now will be the time for them to think about their soul 1. I love the Lord and want to serve Him, Titus 2.14 a. Heaven in Revelation is shown as a place of worship b. We should want to be here this week Conclusion: Which list best describes our attitude toward this Gospel Meeting? I want you to remember this list and examine yourselves at the end of this week and see if you met the goal. D.T. @ Westside Church of Christ 09.02.07 |