Articles
Benefiting from a Gospel Meeting
Gospel meetings provide us with an opportunity to receive instruction in God’s word for several consecutive days. Early Christians at times gathered daily for instruction in God’s word. Acts 2:46 tell of Christians, “continuing daily with one accord in the temple” (NKJV). Acts 19:9-10 tells us about some of Paul’s actions while in Ephesus. It says, “But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:9-10, NKJV). Obviously, early Christians had a longing for God’s word which should equally characterize God’s people today (1 Peter 2:2; Psalm 119:72, 97, 103, 127, 131, 162, 174). Instruction in God’s word is an important feature of a gospel meeting. How can we make sure we benefit from such instruction?
One obviously does not benefit from a gospel meeting and the encouragement it provides if one is not present at the meeting. Hebrews 10:24-25 reminds us to, “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (NKJV). When people choose to allow things to keep them from being present during a gospel meeting when they could be there, they are not going to benefit from the instruction which takes place and the encouragement they could receive from the meeting.
A person can benefit from a gospel meeting if they have the mindset of the Bereans. Acts 17:11 describes the mindset of the Bereans, saying, “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (NKJV). One can only benefit from instruction when one has a readiness to receive what God’s word teaches. One will not benefit from instruction no matter how well it is presented if their heart is hardened to making the necessary changes. One benefits from a gospel meeting when one, like the Bereans, searches the Scriptures to verify what is being said is in harmony with God’s word. 1 John 4:1 teaches us, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (NKJV). One should be ready to accept whatever God’s word teaches (Acts 10:33). However, one does not need to come to a gospel meeting ready to accept whatever a preacher says. One should only accept what a preacher teaches when it is in harmony with the word of God. The only way to know whether what is taught is in harmony with God’s word is for us to study the topic for ourselves.
A person can benefit from a gospel meeting if they are not only hearers of the word but also doers of the word. James 1:21-25 emphasizes this point, saying, “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing is natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues it it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (NKJV). In the course of a gospel meeting, an individual might see things about himself he needs to change in order to be pleasing to God. It is easy to perhaps sit there and think, “That is something I need to work on or change,” but then as soon as the sermon or the meeting is over never do anything to change our life in that area. If we respond in that manner to the lessons presented in a gospel meeting, we have not really profited as much as we should from hearing the truths which were taught. Let’s be serious about applying the truths we are taught and make effort throughout the meeting and after the meeting is concluded to apply the truths taught to our lives so we can be blessed by the Lord.
