Why Sunday Night and Wednesday Night Services Are Important (Conclusion)

By Kent Heaton

The assembly is not restricted in time of day nor frequency. Whether dis­ciples meet in the morning, after­noon or evening is not specified but only the day is commanded. The frequency of meet­ing is relative to the social opportunities available and the desires of the people. In many places in our world today it is difficult for saints to meet once a day but every ef­fort is made to do so. In our country, with the ease of transportation, comfort, avail­ability and opportunity; we are blessed to have numerous times we can meet and ex­hort one another.

There are numerous commands of ex­hortation that we are enjoined to be a part of as an assembly of people (Ephesians 5:17-21; Colossians 3:15-17; 1 Corinthians 14:3-5; 15, 16; 1 Corinthians 16:1, 2). With all these opportunities we find that God has designed the church to be a whole of one that enjoys unity and growth (Ephesians 4:11-16). The key to this unity is found in what every part does its share. People of God are not seeking to do as little as they can but asking God, “What more can I do?” No one should ever look upon their service to the Lord as doing as little as they can to just get by and expect the Lord to find this pleasing. The parable of the talents in Mat­thew 25 is about doing what we can do with what we have. The failure of the one talent man was not his gaining five more talents or two more talents but his failure to just do anything. He did nothing and while not guilty of any adverse crime was cast into outer darkness because he did nothing.

The Lord expects His children to do more than the minimal. With so many opportuni­ties to do more for the Lord why are so many doing so little? The attendance on Sunday night and Wednesday night drops dramatically because of many who fail to see the worth and value of the work of the church. We must be careful in establishing doctrines and traditions of men that have served to further the work of the church to teach, admonish and exhort the brethren and impose a system of righteousness based upon attendance. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day for focusing on the wrong things in exclusion of the true na­ture of worship. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without ne­glecting the others” (Matthew 23:23).

He further warned of the dangers of tra­dition in Matthew 15:1-9. The doctrines of men are not wrong as long as they are not imposed as requirements for salvation or faithfulness. Often, while they serve as helps to the growth of the people of God, through time traditions take on a life of their own as a law of faithfulness where God has not pre­scribed.

When asked if a person is a faithful Chris­tian the answer most often given is based upon whether or not they are in attendance when the doors of the church are open. God never intended for attendance to be a measure of faithfulness but the attendance of the heart to the will of love of God. There is a lesson of fruit bearing that shows a manner of faithfulness when the individual is involved in the work of the church and what is being sought through the leadership of the elders to be accomplished.

In our culture, we have extended the ser­vices of the Lord to include a period of Bible study on Sunday morning and to con­tinue the lessons on Wednesday night. This has evolved over the past 100 years into a Bible class system. This is a very helpful tool the church uses to instruct the people of God. To avail one self of these opportuni­ties is invaluable to the spiritual growth of the family. However, these are programs that help to build up the faith of those who attend and the elders encourage everyone to be a part of this program.

In the last 100 years, the church has also taken on an additional opportunity to meet as the assembly on Sunday evening. This came in large part to the shift in the work force of America that required families to work on Sunday morning. The Sunday eve­ning assembly is a wonderful opportunity for the saints to gather to worship the Lord as it is the first day of the week. The Lord’s Supper is offered in accordance with the pattern of the NT church and the admoni­tions of Paul from 1 Corinthians 11 should be heeded during this time as being just as valid as in the morning. The Sunday evening service should never become an orphaned child of the morning service if we are to be consistent with the word of God.

How are we to view the Sunday morning Bible class, the additional service on Sunday and the Wednesday night Bible study? This answer must be given in accordance with the work of the church that seeks to build up the church through the work of evangel­ism and exhortation. The church is involved in many programs that seek to help the members grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. Why should these programs be important to me as a member of the Tren­ton Church of Christ? The assemblies of the saints: whether Bible class, group meetings, gospel meetings, home studies, lectures, etc., show important characteristics of my faith. I show that God is first in my life (Matthew 6:33); Christ is first in my life (Luke 9:26); The Holy Spirit is first in my life (Romans 8:16, 17). I show the world that God is first in my life (Matthew 5:13-16). I show my family that God is first in my life (Ephesians 6:1-4). I show my heart that God is first in my life (Matthew 6:19-34). I tell the church that God is first in my life (Ephesians 4:16).

What is the measure of a man? Ephesians 4:13 says, “Until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). When you stay home on Sunday night and Wednesday night and have little to do with the work of the church (when you are able to do so); what is the measure of your stature that belongs to the fullness of Christ? Will you one day wish you had one more opportunity to do more for the work of the Lord? Can you do so little and find satisfaction?

We must all have the mind of Isaiah who when called with these words from the Lord "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8). Why is Sunday night and Wednesday night important? & (Via Bible Matters)

The Story of Four Bodies

Author Unknown

Somebody, Everybody, Anybody and Nobody were neighbors. Odd people, they were hard to understand. Some­body lived an ungodly life and Everybody knew it. For example, Somebody was gos­siping about his friends and Everybody knew that it was wrong. Anybody might have refused to listen, but Nobody did. Anybody knew Everybody was talking about Some­body. All four belonged to the same congre­gation. Anybody wanted to worship, but did not attend because he was not speak­ing to Somebody. Nobody was faithful in ser­vice. Nobody gave. Nobody sang in worship. No­body worked in the congrega­tion. When they needed a Bible teacher, Eve­rybody thought Anybody could do it and Somebody thought Everybody would do it better than he. Do you know who finally did it? That's right... Nobody! & (From the Bulletin of the Main Street Church of Christ, Volume 1, Number 5, September 9, 1985)