You Are Missed When You Miss

Romans 1:11-12 

Consider Paul’s words, “For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.”  Paul’s desire to go to Rome was not only for their benefit, but for his.   Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, said he was encouraged by the faith of his fellow Christians!  If that is true for Paul it is doubly true for you and me.  In fact, we are commanded to encourage one another (Co. 3:16; 1 Thess. 5:11; Heb. 3:13).

We have, at a minimum, four occasions every week to encourage one another: Sunday morning Bible class, Sunday morning worship service, Sunday evening worship service and Wednesday evening Bible class.  In addition to these there are several other times each month when we have an opportunity to come together for fellowship, instruction in the Word and encouragement.  If we neglect these opportunities we are disregarding our God given duty to encourage one another.  “My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.”

Let us never fail to make every service, so long as we are able.  Let us not disregard opportunities for fellowship and instruction.  But instead let us seek out times to come together and encourage one another.  We have such an opportunity in our upcoming Spring Meeting (April 15-18).  Let us all make plans to attend that we might be encouraged as well as encourage each other. 

Thomas Sneed

Pond Church of Christ