COME AND SEE
A very pleasant good morning to each of you our listeners this
morning. You are our honored guests and how happy I am that you have
chosen to be a part of our audience. I appreciate all of the good
remarks that have been voiced about what we are doing over this station.
I hope and pray that you are pleased with the program enough to call a
friend or acquaintance and tell them about the program. Our only desire
is to do you good. To encourage you to become a better student of God's
Word and most of all to assist you in drawing just a little closer unto
Jehovah God.
No doubt in an audience as the one listening this morning, there
are some of you who have never attended any of the services of the
church of Christ, or at least do not know much about the church of
Christ. Perhaps there are some listening at this time who are asking
themselves what they would see or hear if they attended the White Park
church of Christ. To assist you in answering this question, I wish to
take the allotted time this morning to tell you a little about the
congregation that brings you this radio program from Sunday to Sunday.
First, I wish to point out that this congregation has no
affiliation or tie with any other congregation, nor any other
organization. God's Word is silent as to any kind of universal, state,
or regional arrangement whereby many or all churches work under a
centralized organization. We are completely independent and autonomous.
We ask no one nor seek anyone's stamp of approval for the decisions that
we make as a congregation. In the New Testament times, each congregation
was independent of all other congregations, each working under its own
oversight, having no responsibility to a National or Regional or World-
wide organization. This is different from most of the religious bodies
in existence today. Most of them belong to an association, or some type
of national body. Not so with the congregation that brings you this
program. Neither was it so with the church you read about in the New
Testament. The New Testament church had no man-made manual, no by-laws,
no disciplines to follow, nothing except the revealed Word of God, as we
now know it -- the Bible. Each congregation was independent of every
other congregation. So, likewise, the White Park church of Christ, has
no responsibility to any other body.
Now, what about the services conducted by the congregation bringing
you this program. What would you find if you attended this morning. Let
us begin with the Bible Study at 9:00 a.m. Those present will see that
there will be a class for those of different ages, by this I mean there
are classes for each age level, beginning with the pre-school and
continuing through the Adult class. The adult class is currently
studying the Ephesian letter in a verse by verse exegesis of the Holy
Spirit's message through the apostle Paul to the church that met in
Ephesus. The classes are not conducted to entertain those present; but
rather to learn of God and His inspired word. You have a cordial to come
and study with us. Bring your Bible, paper and pencil, prepared to
delve into God's Word. Your questions are always welcome.
Then at 10:00 a.m. we begin our morning worship service. This
service will consist of worshipping Jehovah in spirit and in truth as
Jesus states in John 4:24. To worship Jehovah in truth simply means
everything you will do is founded upon a "thus saith the Lord." Jesus
himself said that His words were the truth. Listen to John 17:17,
"Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth." Thus, we do nothing
unless there is book, chapter and verse for it. Do we have to have bible
for everything we do. MOST ASSUREDLY, WE DO. But, Jesus said to worship
in spirit and in truth. To worship Jehovah in spirit involves the
sincerity and zeal of the worshippers. One cannot worship God half-
heartedly, or unconcerned, but that worship must proceed from the very
depths of the individual's soul, from the heart, in spirit. We will have
more to say about this.
But, what will you see when you attend the service of the White
Park church of Christ at 10:00 a.m.? One thing you will see is a
congregation of people worshipping God through songs (through singing).
This will involve congregational participation. Each child of God is to
praise God through songs, as Paul states in Ephesians 5:19, "Speaking
one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody with your heart to the Lord." There is no choir or
separate group entertainment. You will not hear solos or duets; there
will be none making a display of their individual talents. I never have
understood why some seem to think that they must put on some kind of big
show in order to worship God. Everything you will see at the services of
the White Park church of Christ will be done decently and orderly. Isn't
this what the apostle Paul commands in l Corinthians 14:40? You will
not see a confused membership carrying on in some hysterical manner.
I am reminded of the words of Elijah in 1 Kings 18:27, when he mocked
the false prophets of Baal, "Cry aloud; for he is a god; either he is
musing, or he is gone aside, or he is on a journey, or peradventure he
sleepeth and must be awaked." Elijah then uttered a simple prayer, "Hear
me, O Jehovah, hear me, that I am thy servant, and that I have done all
these things at thy word." (1 Kings 18:37) And, Jehovah responded to his
prayer. When you attend the service at White Park, you will hear one man
who is called upon to lead the assembly in prayer. He will speak words
that can be understood by all in the audience. The prayers will be
offered from the heart, they will edify those present. I read in Matthew
chapter 6, verses 5 thorough 8, of the words of Jesus wherein he
condemned those who pray to be seen or heard of men. That is, they are
performing to impress their fellow man. Such is contrary to God's
desires. So, when you attend you will see a congregation who believes in
the power of prayer and who prays often in our worship.
You will also see the Lord's Supper observed each Lord's Day or
each Sunday. In Acts 20:7, we read of the early disciples in Troas
meeting upon the first day of the week and they observed the Supper of
the Lord. Thus, just as often as a first day of the week comes around,
those who love the truth will meet with their Lord at His table. What a
beautiful privilege, to commune with the Lord and remember that great
debt that was paid for our sins. But, someone says, "That would lose the
importance of the Lord's Supper if you partook of it every week." Why
so? Do we lose the importance of singing because we sing regularly, or
does prayer lose its importance because we pray each time we assemble?
Do we use the same type of reasoning with reference to taking up the
contribution? Oh, no, in fact most religious bodies take the collection
every time they come together. Does that make it lose its importance?
No, but neither does partaking of the Lord's supper each Sunday detract
from its importance. It is a weekly reminder of the death, burial, and
resurrection of our Lord and Savor, Jesus Christ. We need that contact
with Deity. We need to have our minds refreshed with that scene. And,
the word of God gives us the example of the early Christians meeting on
the first day of the week and partaking of the supper. We, too, the
White Park church of Christ does engage in the Lord's Supper each
Sunday.
On the table you will find unleavened bread and the fruit of the
vine. The reason for these ingredients is that God's word tells us
exactly what to use. "Jesus took bread, and blessed and brake it; and he
gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took
a cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, All of you drink of
it; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many
unto remission of sins" (Matthew 26:26-28). Thus, unleavened bread and
fruit of the vine; all else is excluded. No doubt we will have more to
say on this important theme at some later date.
When you attend the service this morning at 10:00 a.m. you will see
free will offerings of the membership, as they give as they have
prospered. You will not see this congregation expecting others to
finance their work. You will not see them begging others to contribute.
You WILL see the members contributing, without fanfare or show; without
the plaudits of men. There will be no one badgered into making a
contribution, nor embarrassed if they are not able. With a simple prayer
offered, the contribution will be passed among the congregation and each
one contributes as they are able. We do not expect others to finance our
work, and for this reason, I point out once again, we do not want you to
send money to cover the expenses of this program. It is the work of the
White Park church of Christ, and we expect no one else to assist. Some
begin a work, and before long they are inviting the listeners to send
their contributions to assist in the work. Or, they are trying to sell
you something. Neither is approved of by the Lord.
When you attend the service this morning at 10:00 a.m., or any
Sunday service, you will hear the word of God taught. An allotted time
will be spent in the study of the lesson or sermon. You will hear Bible
references given for all that is taught. Some of the lessons will have
to do with teaching what God requires of an alien sinner that the soul
might be cleansed from sin. Those who have never obeyed the gospel will
be encouraged to do so. The will be encouraged to believe with all their
heart that Jesus Christ is the son of God; to repent of their sins; to
confess that faith in Christ Jesus with their mouth; and to be buried in
water for the remission of sins.
Some of the lessons will deal with the responsibilities of the
children of God to keep themselves unspotted from the world. The
Christian is not to walk in sin; but to keep himself or herself free
from those desires. Thus some of the lessons are directed toward God's
children, encouraging them to "walk in the Light, as He is in the
light." (1 John 1:7). When a child of God does find himself or herself
in sin, then they will be encouraged to repent of their sin and to pray
to God for forgiveness. We read that advice given by the apostle Peter
to the man named Simon in Acts 8:22. Simon had obeyed the gospel, but
fell into sin and Peter told him the consequences of such action.
So, in summary, what will you see and hear when you visit with us
at the White Park church of Christ? You will see dedicated people
assemble before the Lord and sing praises unto Him; you will hear them
pray understandable prayers unto Jehovah; you will see them partaking of
the Lord's Supper; you will see them giving freely to the work of the
local congregation; and you will hear lessons designed to warn and to
encourage all present to be what the Lord wants us to be.
Will not you not come and be our guest? You will be treated with
courtesy and respect. You will find a friendly atmosphere of people who
are truly trying to please the Lord in all that we do.
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